Strange and Beautiful
by u don't need to know
Summary: Raven Roth. An oppressed teenager pining for her longtime friend,Richard. If this Richard doesn't notice that, then how can this Raven Roth possibly be happy? Maybe she'll never be happy. Wait... Can a certain Wally West remedy that? [ mainly RobRaeFlash
1. Prologue: The Dance

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven, finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Strange and Beautiful**

**By Aqualung**

_I've been watching your world from afar  
I've been trying to be where you are  
And I've been secretly falling apart  
I see,  
To me you're strange and you're beautiful  
You'd be so perfect with me, but you just can't see  
you turn every head, but you don't see me_

_I'll put a spell on you  
you fall asleep  
I'll put a spell on you  
and when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see  
and you'll realize that you love me_

_sometimes the last thing you want comes in first  
sometimes the first thing you want never comes  
I know the waiting is all you can do  
sometimes_

* * *

**Prologue: The Dance (in Raven's P.O.V.)**

I enter the ballroom anxiously. I dressed up for this, wore a dress just below my knees, accentuated it with elegant heels. I curled my hair and pinned it up, I put light make-up on and got ready for my trademark smile… well, it's not really a smile… I don't really smile. Maybe that's why I don't feel pretty enough… and I feel anxious about that fact. Everyone knows why I, such a dull plain-Jane, got so obsessed with dressing up this particular day. Eventhough I try to deny it, it is true.

I did it for _him._

And I search for him, walking past the dancing couples I spot a handsome raven-haired man. I stare at him, he looks stunning as always. Dressed in a simple black tux that brings the blue of his sapphire eyes, I feel my heart flutter out to him. And oh, that heart-melting grin, I do not miss a thing.

Funny…

I am so hopeless…as I try to miss the biggest thing about him. So big… so obvious.

… So _heartbreaking._

He is dancing with her.

… He is _in love_ with her.

Now, I don't blame him for falling in love with her… she's gorgeous… even more so now. She looks so beautiful in her fitting halter dress. It shows all of her curves and accentuates her shapely long legs. She doesn't even need to fix her silken red locks to look beautiful… and she bears no make-up. She is glamorous. She is confident. She is perfect.

The ideal girl that he'll fall in love with. And I cannot match her. Her sweetness. Her glamour. Her sexuality.

Not wanting to appear foolish alone in the dance floor, with a look of pain etched on my face; I walk away mumbling 'excuse me's, 'sorry's, and 'pardon me's to the dancing pairs. Then I sit alone, my gaze still on him.

I see him smile sweetly, his lips forming sweet nothings. I smile back, but it quickly turns into a frown as I remember that it's not for me. Who am I kidding? He hasn't even laid an eye on anyone since that dance. He is so in love with her… and it hurts… my heart is crushed and mutilated in pain… it hurts… it hurts so bad.

Wonderful… Life is so wonderful for such a loser like me…

"Wow, don't you look beautiful tonight!" I hear a light-hearted comment and I tear my eyes from the boy.

"Hi," I smile sadly at my classmate, trying to look cheerful… a look I frequently fail to fake.

"Hey! So why are you just sitting there? Who are you with?" he asks me with a cocky grin and I shake my head.

"No one," I don't even bother to smile, "no one asked me…"

"Really? Wow wow wow… what a shame. Hey, it's their loss!"

I don't answer.

"So why the long face?" he asks after quite some time.

I don't answer and keep my gaze… at the heartbreaking sight. They are kissing now… they try to hide it, but I still see it… clearly. And yes, it hurts.

I sense him following my gaze and he suddenly snorts, I feel slightly insulted. Turning my head to him, I ask, "What's so funny?"

"Naaah…" he grins as he leans back on a chair, he sighs before answering, "you can do so much better!"

Now I stare at him, at his red locks, his cocky grin and his pretty eyes. I slightly smile… disbelievingly.

"I'm telling the truth!" he drawls and smiles at me, "He's not that good looking! And have you seen him play soccer? He's a loser! And look at you, you're so pretty!"

Although I feel slightly offended for the boy I have deep feelings for, I can't help but smile, genuinely now as I felt better because of his compliment. I don't speak as I don't know what to say… I am also afraid that I'll say something stupid, sarcastic or rude. I don't want to be unkind to the person who gave the time to keep me company.

"Hey, come with me!" he says as he offers his hand.

I stare at him again, "what?"

"Let's grab a bite… It's better than staring at Mr. Sap there!" he snorts and rolls his eyes.

I can't help but chuckle slightly, thinking about it. Now… he is some person, really. He is arrogant, cocky, egoistic, impulsive and sometimes known as "the jerk". He is also very popular for being the most hyper-active person in highschool. But he can be nice, being my classmate and neighbor for years, I know this.

… And he knows how to treat a lady…

And I thing about taking his hand. I think about how people would react and how unusual it will be for me if I do. I think about how uncomfortable I am talking to people other than my friends and family, how afraid I am to make a fool of myself. And also, other people say that he just befriends other people if he wants something from them. That he uses people to get to the top.

I, then, look at the boy I love… and I take his hand.

What can we take from me? I have nothing.

"Great… now let's go to some restaurant away from Mr. Sap… who, may I add, is very undeserving of your affections."

I roll my eyes… _men._

"Thank you…"

I have no regrets.

* * *

**Author's note: **Hello ! This is my first Teen Titans fanfiction so please be easy on me. I'm actually a RaeRob supporter, but I noticed that there aren't any fanfictions here with Raven paired up with Wally West… which is totally acceptable since he's not even in the show. But I really just want to see how it goes… This will also contain RaeRob of course, it might even end in one, but I'm not sure . By the way, I'm really not confident enough with my writings, and I really want or need a beta reader… Pleasetell me where I can find one, thank you very much . 


	2. Raven loves Richard

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Strange and Beautiful**

**Chapter 1: _Raven loves Richard_**

"Hey! I didn't see you at the party last time, I was looking for you," Richard smiles at me as he sits down at _our_ cafeteria table. His girlfriend 'the lovely Kori' sits down beside him and he immediately helps her place her food tray on the table. I can't help but feel a little bitter inside.

"Yes, we were looking for you." Kori adds as she closes the space between her and Richard.

_You lie, you lie, you lie…_

I give them a grim smile and say, "I just left early. I never planned on going there anyway."

_Riigghhhttt… you bought a dress to wear to that party a month ago, practiced a skit on asking Richard to dance and tried so hard to look pretty that particular night… And you never planned on going there? Yeah right…_

"Oh I see," Kori smiles and pats my hand a little. The resentment in me belittles, I can't help it, Kori is a sweet girl and she doesn't deserve my resentment.

"Why come to the party if you aren't even gonna stay there for at least ten minutes?" Richard cocks an eyebrow questioningly, a reaction I find really endearing.

I blink hard, trying to disregard the fluttering feelings of my heart. Hesitantly, I force myself to lie again, "I was hungry… so I grabbed a bite with someone."

Their eyes snap wide open and I could almost hear them gasp.

"With someone? I suppose that it was Garfield or Victor, right?" Kori asks, looking at me intently.

I shift uncomfortably on my seat, "No."

"You actually ate with someone besides us… Is this person special?" Richard asks and takes a bite of his sandwich.

I roll my eyes, "Yes, actually, he's a cross dresser." I answer his question sarcastically.

"So this person is a man!" Kori grins cheerfully, "May you tell us who this man is?" she holds my hand and looks up to me hopefully.

Still feeling awkward, I pull my hand from her grasp, "Wally," I say quickly, avoiding meeting her eyes.

Silence…

"Wally West…" I say as I clear my throat.

Perpetual silence…

"Well, I had nothing else to do, so I accompanied him to eat," I tell them nonchalantly, trying to fill up the silence, "we both didn't have dates, so we decided to hang-out."

To tell you the truth, I don't know why I want to explain myself to him. I also don't get why they take it so seriously, it's quite annoying.

"That is so unlike you! How can you hang-out with him? He is such a jerk! Do you know how many times a day he gets on my nerves!" Richard bursts out suddenly, making the girl beside him wince.

I frown; I find his reaction a little too dramatic.

"He gets on _your_ nerves, Richard, not mine. Besides, it's not like he's my new best friend now."

I see him wrinkle his nose in dislike, "I just can't see why a jerk like him wants to hang-out with someone like you."

Someone like me? Now I know that he means it in a nice way, but I can't help but feel a little offended. "Yes Richard, because there's no way people will want to be with me. I am dull and boring, so it's taboo to be acquainted with me."

"Raven, that's not what I meant… It's just that people like you don't usually hang out with- "

"Don't push it, Richard," I warn, but I know I'm subconsciously taking in his words…

He sighs, "Fine, I'm sorry… but it's so unlike you to eat with someone or whatever besides the gang. What made you do it? And why Wally?"

I stop suddenly. What am I supposed to say? That I'm undergoing a major personality change? That I am not Raven and some kind of being is just controlling my body? That Garfield dared me to? That my cat made me do it? _Or that I was in a desperate moment to leave and seek comfort because my heart is getting too tired of seeing him with someone else… too tired of bleeding._

I inhale deeply and suppress the uprising emotion I feel for him. I succeed in doing so and I smile and excuse myself, "What does it matter? It's no big deal, it was a one time thing… Now excuse me, I have to get my application form from the principal's office," gathering my things, I get up and leave.

* * *

**_Flashback_**-

_Raven Roth blushed as her friend, Richard Grayson, sat beside her in their Biology class. She tried to hide it, even got frustrated at it. Yes, frustrated as she didn't know why she **blushed every time he was near her**. _

_Sure, he had been he friend since third grade, and he had made her laugh, smile and feel long before now. But the feeling of lightheadedness and warmth she felt every time he was close to her nowadays was very alien to her. She abhorred and loved it at the same time._

"_Raven… Can I please look at your notes? I left mine at home," Richard nudged her side and she fought a blush._

"_Uhh… Sure," she mumbled. She found him very handsome nowadays, which was very unusual because she had never found anyone handsome before. Their hands touched slightly and she instantly flinched, causing Richard to tilt his head questioningly._

_She found it adorable._

"_Oooh, what's happening there?" she heard Victor's voice from behind, teasing them boyishly. Garfield, then, poked her mockingly on the back. She turned around and saw the boy handing her a piece of paper. She took it._

'**_RAVEN LOVES RICHARD!'_ **

_Reading the note, Richard rolled his eyes and turned to the two boys behind them, "As if… get a life, losers!"_

_She ignored the slight bickering of her friends and kept staring at the note._

'**_RAVEN LOVES RICHARD!'_  
**

'**_RAVEN LOVES RICHARD!'_ **

_Unlike her friend, she didn't mind it. It wasn't bothersome, was it? She actually had an idea why she was acting and feeling the way she was these days, but she denied it like hell, as if it was the most ridiculous thing that could ever happen to her. But now that it was actually written… spelled out in front of her..._

"_Hello, I am Kori Anders and I am new!"_

_Raven looked up only to see a tall, beautiful redhead in front of the class._

"_She sure is a pretty one."_

_Raven stared at Richard as he made the comment. Her heart thumped._

'**_RAVEN LOVES RICHARD!'_ **

_**End flashback** _

* * *

I shake my head and close my eyes. I hate angst… and I hate memories angst derive from. Trying to shove some insignificant memories and thoughts away, I read the application form in my hands. I try to decide where I want to attend college at and what course I want to take.

"Sowhatcourseareyougonnatake?" I stumble forewords in shock as I suddenly find a bundle of red hair on my shoulder, uttering words I can't comprehend.

Wally...

"Excuse me?" I say as I turn to look at him.

"Course… What are you planning to take?" he asks again, a little more slowly now.

I ignore the stares we're getting and start walking along the corridor. He just walks beside me, "So?"

"I'm deciding whether I should take Psychology or go to an art school," I answer. Feeling quite satisfied that he's listening, I continue, "I want to attend an art school but there aren't any good ones here… so I guess I'll just take Psychology at Azarath University…"

Wally nodded, "I see. Why so afraid of going some place away from here?"

_Because Richard and I promised each other that we'll go to the same university together… not that he remembers that…_

I don't say what I thought though, instead, I just shrug and wait for him to make a comment.

"Hmmm… I didn't know you were artsy, Raven." he grins.

I ignore the, 'since when have they been close?' whispers and answer, "I'm the known artist here… as much as you're known as the jock."

He crosses his arms across his chest, "Yeah… but who cares about that shit anyway? I know I don't!"

I smile at his answer… very charming.

"So, I'm on my way to the music room… gonna practice playing the piano- "

"Play for me!" he says suddenly.

"Wh-what?" _Wow… he _is_ impulsive… _

"I want to hear you play the piano!"

"Really? Why?" Only Kori had ever wanted to hear me play.

"I don't know, who cares?" he shrugs.

"I don't know…" I answer, "I don't usually go with other people… I mean other than my friends…" I look at him uncertainly.

He rolls his eyes, "C'mon! Let's go!" he grabs my hand and runs, making me cringe slightly.

He _is_ really fast. I find it very hard keeping up with him… and yes, I feel slightly annoyed… but oh well…

Who cares?

* * *

**Author's notes:**First chapter done! I would like to thank **_EvilWhiteRaven _**for beta-reading this chapter… I am eternally in your gratitude.

**To the reviewers:**

**darkfirebird1423 – **Thank you very much for your kind words!

**KhmerGurl113 – **I noticed that you put this story in your faves list, thank you so much! I feel so happy!

**mysti-eyed – **I'm so sorry for confusing you… some kind of mix-up happened when I was sending you the e-mail, I'm so sorry. Anyway, I'm almost done writing the first chapter of my other story, I'll send it to you as soon as possible. Oh yeah, THANK YOU!

**Chica De Los Ojos Café – **I'm so flattered! Thank you! No, they don't have powers here, I think that would be a little hard _for me_ to write, hehe.

**Moon Alchemist – **Thank you so much! And don't worry, I love cynical people, they fascinate me. By the way, I love your story _"Emotions"…_ please write more.

**EvilWhiteRaven – You are my God…**

**Mad Mauser – **Hi! Thank you for reading this, and also _"BABY!"_. I'll try to make this story clearer for you.

Oh yeah… I find it uncomfortable writing Raven as the 'goth', I don't see her as one… I find it easier writing her as the introverted artist, and so I did. I hope you don't mind. And please leave a review if you have time! Thank you!


	3. Keep You Company

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually Rob/Rae/Flash .

* * *

**Chapter 2: Keep You Company **

Normally, I would find talking to Richard on the phone a very wondrous activity. How could I not? I have deep feelings for him, he makes me feel pointlessly happy, and I really find it special since he spends most of his time with Kori. Not that I'm complaining… I mean, Kori is wonderful and _practically_ his girlfriend… so I have no right. I can only savor the time he spends with me, and I usually do.

_Yeah…._

Not today though, because all he is talking about is how annoying my friendship with Wally is and it's plain tiring to just explain to him how subtle our friendship is all conversation long. It's also tiring to hear him telling me how Wally is such a big jerk… but you know what they say, if you love someone, you either become blind with all the person's faults or have a sudden never-ending patience. I can prove that's true, because despite how annoying he's getting, I still listen to him, grunting or nodding along. Hahaha… very cute.

_And you don't hang-out with us anymore!"_ this line isn't new to me anymore.

I sigh, "Richard _Dick_ Grayson, the only time I spend time with Wally West is every time we go home. Most of the time I'm with you, Kori, Victor and Gar."

"_What's up with **that** anyway?" _he ignores my explanation for the _seventh_ time, _"it's either you give him a ride home or he gives you one… it's like you rich kids hanging together!"_

That line isn't new to me either.

I will explain this to him once more… and then I'll end it there.

"We're neighbors. And that only happened once, plus, he never offered me a ride home because I always bring _my _car along. Now excuse me, I have a _lot_ of things to do." I say and hang up the phone.

It didn't even take a minute for the phone to start ringing again. I pick it up.

"Roth residence," I answer monotonously.

"_Sorry, sorry! It's just that you don't hang-out with **me** anymore!"_ Richard's voice booms from the other line.

It wasn't the volume that shocked me, it was more of what he said…

_It's just that you don't hang-out with **me** anymore…_

_Richard, I am always by your side, ready to be as low as Kori's replacement whenever she's gone. Ready to hang-out with you every time you find Victor and Gar too annoying… ready to be your second fiddle to anybody._

"**We** don't really hang-out anymore, Richard," I say as I feel my bile rise up in my throat.

_Because you started to act as if it is taboo four years ago…_

There is a pause before he answers me;

"_What about this afternoon? Are you busy?"_

I automatically blush, "Well… I do have to practice playing the- "

"_Forget about it, you're already great!" _he almost screams, _"Let's meet at Jump City Café, and it'll be just you and me spending quality time together!"_

I can't help but smile excitedly, "R-really?" I stammer, not believing his proposition.

"_Of course, see you around three then," _there is a click and the line turn busy.

My heart is thumping hard against my chest, fluttering joyously. Of course I understand completely that this time with him is completely as friends only. But I can't help but feel overjoyed; I'll be spending time with him, alone. Call it overacting but I treasure it completely, because you know… I only get what I can take, and this is the best he has offered me so far.

Standing up, I walk to the bathroom to get ready.

_Maybe he doesn't think of it as taboo…_

* * *

**Flashback (a week ago)**

"_It's weird," Raven said to the young man as she struck the keys of the piano._

"_What's weird?" Wally, who was beside her, asked as he listened to the soft symphony she was playing. It was beautiful, a little sad… but very enticing._

"_Me, hanging out with you… I know it's just the second time we kept each other company," she explained, stopping herself from playing, "but I'm actually talking to you here."_

_His reaction wasn't actually the one she was looking for._

"_Thanks Raven, I like hanging out with you too," he answered, and immediately countered when she raised an eyebrow at him, "You implied it!"_

_She thought for a while, "One of my friends doesn't really like you… and people aren't actually used to seeing me accompanied by someone. I don't want them thinking things… Plus, you can be annoying… and I can't imagine why I feel so comfortable with you."_

"_Why thank you Raven… I feel comfortable with you too!"_

_She stared at him incredulously, "Wow… I never actually expressed my dislike for someone. You're the first one…"_

"_I'm honored… but think about it. It's not that you don't like me… I think you actually do, a lot!"_

_She considered hitting him on the head, but she just stared at him exasperatedly and smiled, "You're too arrogant, nothing gets to you…"_

_Closing his eyes, he smiled back, "Why won't you continue playing?" he looked at her small hands._

"_You know, you care too much about what people might think of you… what your role in this place is and what reaction you're gonna get from people," he started just as the soft music reached his ears._

_Now… Raven wasn't really open to her flaws, and she wasn't used to people pointing it out. Her friends never pointed it out… directly at least, they often implied it and sometimes even took it back as soon as they did so. Mostly because they knew she didn't like it, not that she thought of herself as perfect… she just didn't really like it… but now, the young man didn't actually know that, and she didn't really want to be rude to him. She just continued playing, deciding to either just listen or ignore him._

"_And you're too uptight about your feelings for him!"_

_That was when she stopped him, "You know, it's a little too early to start analyzing me," she warned._

_It didn't falter him. He didn't defend himself or apologize, instead, he shrugged and grabbed his backpack off the floor. Raven frowned when he started to search something in it, feeling quite offended of his actions._

"_Here," he handed her something. When she looked at it, she saw a simple thick hardbound sketchbook with a design of a purple rose on its cover._

"_My sketchbook," she grabbed it instantly, her hands leaving the piano keys, "I've been looking for this for a week now… How'd you find it?"_

_He was impressed at how calm she acted, most people would have screamed and kissed their 'lost thing' already… well, that was what he would do, "I picked it up… it was laying there near the soccer field."_

"_Oh…" Raven mumbled and wondered how it got there, "thanks…"_

"_No prob," he answered as he looked at the girl browse the sketchbook, "I kinda looked at some sketches there, I hope you don't mind…"_

_She stopped. Only her friends got to look at her works… Was he her friend? She just started to really talk to him three days ago, despite the six years of being classmates… and neighbors. Plus, she still felt a little sore from his offence a little while ago. But still…_

"_No, it's no problem," she shook her head._

_Wally grinned, then pointed at a sketch, "I really like how you sketched Jump City Park… You're a really good artist!"_

_Raven smiled, her feelings of resentment gone, "And you told me you didn't know I was artsy…"_

_He would ignore this little comment. For now. _

**End flashback**

* * *

It's six o'clock and I'm here in this café for more than two hours now, and have been staring at my cell phone for one. I must be looking so stupid now, just sitting here alone, staring at either into space or at my cell phone. I haven't even bought anything yet and this Goth waiter guy keeps looking at me. I'm obviously not having the day of my life.

'_Rae, sorry but I can't make it today, Kori needs someone to drive her to her aunt's house… I'm really sorry, I'll make it up to you, I promise!'_

My heart constricts painfully, and suddenly I feel very cold inside.

I shake my head. _No…_ I have no right to feel bad. Kori is Richard's girlfriend, and she should be his first priority. I can always take this, it doesn't really matter… even though my hopes of spending time with him are crushed to tiny microscopic particles and my frustrations are doubled by a dozen, it doesn't really matter.

"Raven?" I hear someone call out to me and I see Wally walking to my table, "What are you doing here?"

Great… just as I start to feel the need to be alone…

I don't bother greeting him, "I'm currently being ditched… here."

"Ouch," he pretends to wince as he sits in front of me, "Mr. Loser? You must be fuming…"

I shrug, "No… it's not right for me to be mad at him…"

He, then, makes a face. But I don't really pay attention to it.

"I'm kinda frustrated thou- "

"Tell me." he gives me a kindhearted smile and I can't think of anything to do but oblige.

"You see, I didn't attend my lessons today just to meet him," I sigh, "and it's not like me, then I act giddy and joyful, which is more unlike me… it's plain frustrating because it's not right, it's not me… and all of my hopes… my feelings and actions are so not right and I shouldn't do it… and it frustrates me because they all don't make sense… even my thoughts don't make sense anymore."

_Wow… did I just say that? I never talked like that before…_

Wally makes a funnier face, but I still don't pay attention to it. Despite the relief talking has provided my frustrations, I am still unfocused.

"Can I give advice, Raven?" Wally asks and I wave my hand as if to say "okay". Not that it's going to get to me anyway.

"Why does everything have to make sense to you? Stop torturing and forbidding yourself and do what you actually want. So what if it's irrational or not right? You don't always have to be on the "right" side of things, why make excuses? Nobody asked for them, so do whatever you want to do and be happy!" he says in a lighthearted manner as he leans back on his chair, waving his right hand.

'_Be happy…'_ His words unusually sink in to me. But I don't let him see it. Maybe I should try and think about it tomorrow.

"How about we order some coffee from that Goth guy who's been looking at you and I'll keep you company."

* * *

**Flashback**

"_Raven," Richard looked at her apologetically, this was going to be hard, "I know I already asked you to the Homecoming dance but…"_

_Raven kept her eyes on him as he scratched his head, looking as uncomfortable as ever. Somehow, she already knew that she wasn't going to like what he was about to tell her._

"_But I kinda talked to Kori… and kinda, you know, asked her…" he shuffled his feet sheepishly, "She kinda said yes… and you know…"_

_Raven stared at him, almost lifelessly, "Sure, it's okay…"_

**_Ouch…_**

"_Really!" Richard looked relieved… and grateful, "THANKS RAE! I just really like her! And… and I think she's the one, y-you know?" he squeezed her hand and mumbled words._

_Raven stepped back and held her hands up, she had heard enough, "It's fine… go! Go to her, I don't like it anyway… dances, I mean…" with a fake smile, she gave him a slight push, hoping he didn't notice how her voice cracked subtly._

_And when he walked away, she stared at his back longingly. She looked down her feet and thought of the note Victor and Gar passed to her back in eighth grade**. 'Raven loves Richard!'**_

_The awful truth._

_Sighing sadly, she walked out of their campus. Good thing she hadn't bought a dress yet._

**End flashback**

* * *

**Author's notes: **Second chapter done! Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to the ever wonderful **'EvilWhiteRaven'.**

**To the reviewers:**

**Mad Mauser**: Thank you so much for the compliment! And don't worry; you're not the only one with a problem with aliases… Took me days and EvilWhiteRaven) to remember Raven's name. Raven Roth… which is also alliterative.

**Chica De Los Ojos Café**: Oh gosh… thanks! You're so nice! Well yes, a lot of students had seen them in that chapter. Hehe.

**DITZY**: Thank you! Hehehe. Yes, Flash does rule! I hope you liked this chapter!

**shiroi-hana**: Oh! Thank you! I am in love with your fanfics and I find it to be such an honor to receive a review from you!

**EvilWhiteRaven**: Yes, I am the first follower of EvilWhiteRavenism! I'm still planning on what to do with Raven about the Azarath University thing, hehe. I'm glad you like the Wally-ness, there will be more in the next chapter.

**cathy-loves-you**: Oh gosh, thank you! Well I'm not sure whether what pairing I'll end this story with, but I'm done writing the first chapter of my _real_ RaeRob!

**mysti-eyed**: Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm glad you don't see Raven as a goth either. Plus, there are only a few writers who succeed in portraying her well as a goth… most just makes Raven act like a mall goth. And Starfire is such a sweetheart, I will never bash her.

**AlyRaven**: Oh thank you! And I'm glad you still managed to like this story even if you don't like RobRae.

**Darkofthenight**: I like new reviewers… thank you for reviewing! And I'll try to update soon too!

**Morbed-Kai**: To tell you the truth, I haven't ready any of the issues yet… so I don't know how Wally acts there… I'd really like to know though. It would help me a lot in portraying him here!

**andromeda90**: Thank you! There are a lot of great Teen Titans stories here, you just have to look!

**Yulie**: I'll try to do that, thank you so much for your review!

Reviews are highly appreciated, thank you!


	4. Change of Views

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Chapter 3: Change of Views _In Wally's P.O.V._**

****

Wanna know a secret?

I've been watching Raven since the last semester of our sophomore year.

Hehe.

Hey, but don't get me wrong! I'm not her stalker or anything… I just started to watch her out of dislike, well at first at least. I mean, for the past six years of being her acquaintance, her words, actions and daily activities haven't changed. Routine… routine… routine, who could be that boring! Another reason for my added dislike is that she has always been Richard Grayson's friend and I never EVER liked Richard Grayson a.k.a. _Mr. Sore Loser…_

It wasn't till December of our junior year when I started to change my views on her. My friends actually dared me to join the charity club and they were holding some kind of art exhibit for the poor or something like that. Feh. Anyway, I saw Raven there, playing the piano for the guests and when I looked around, I saw that most of the paintings hanging on the wall were actually hers. My thoughts exactly were, _'How can someone so dull be able to create something so passionate?' _I decided to observe her then… I started seeing that there's something hidden in her usually dull acts, like how she becomes moody or snappy most of the time and how she tries to show it as subtle as possible. And even though she doesn't talk much, I know she likes doing so… it's as if there's something dying to burst out is being held in inside her… that something mostly shows in her art and music.

I really like Raven… I really, _really _do …

Is it a sin to want to be closer to her?

No.

But most people act as if it is… and I see them as obstacles. Those people and Raven Roth herself are one, and two is Richard _'sore loser' _Grayson.

I'm currently getting past obstacle number one.

* * *

Just two more weeks before the finals, then another two months more to go to finish up all of our requirements and we're off to graduation. I don't know why, but I just can't wait to graduate and get high school done and over with. Some people think the same as me, that's for sure… everyone just wants to pass our finals; take Victor and Gar for example, those two spend most of their time getting tutored in the library these days, before, they were seen in the high school grounds pranking freshmen _everyday_.

Anyway, I tutor with them every lunch break. I find them very fun to be with, Victor is very cool and Gar is nice and funny. Their chemistry is amazing, they're hilarious. Kori, the president of the tutoring committee, is our tutor. She's really patient with us. I don't know how she keeps smiling with our annoying antics. She also smiles and laughs along Gar's corny jokes and all… she's really sweet; now I know why my friend Roy likes her so much.

I don't know how that loser, Richard, found such nice friends.

Richard often sits alone at the back of the library. He often grumbles and leaves his group every time I'm with them… he also glares at me at every chance he gets. Hey, I might be his rival in sports and also the friend of the guy who keeps hitting on his girlfriend, but I don't deserve the treatment I'm getting from him. Is he mad because Roy keeps flirting with Kori? Well that's Roy, not me… I am hitting on Raven, not Kori.

Hah! Another secret for you! ...Heh.

As for Raven, she's getting more and more comfortable with me since _'the ball'_ two months ago. I like how she makes me feel deep or something. I'm usually shallow when I interact with people, and that's the way people see me. It's different when I'm with her though; she makes it seem like I'm more than 'Wally West' the annoying hyper-active athlete. I know she considers me as a friend now. She even studies in the library to help me get along with her friends, of course she doesn't admit that… but I know it's true… Because I'm Wally! I know everything! Heh… And once I asked her if I could join her in buying her art materials, she answered, "Sure, why not…"

Of course she said that in a disliking way, but I know there was a hint of smile in her voice.

And I really like it… Most of my friends like it…

Only Richard doesn't like it…

… But who cares about him, anyway?

* * *

What I like about my friends the most is that they don't care about who each other hangs out with and they don't have this _pretension_ thing going on. And unlike Richard, they feel comfortable with me talking about Raven.

"I thought you were supposed to go with Raven to the art store," Garth brings it up as we change clothes in the boys' locker room.

"Yeah, I'm gonna meet her on the field." I smile as I shove my track and field shoes into my locker.

"Hey! What about Kori Anders' number! I've been asking you to get it for me for a month now!" Roy tosses me a shirt and I put it on.

"I doubt that she'll give it to me…" I answer, sighing.

"Ask Raven," Roy suggests in a commanding manner but I know that he's just kidding.

I snort, "That I know she'll never give to me," I say as I lock my locker, "It's pretty hard to get to her."

"Man, you're no use!" Roy smiles jokingly, "That Richard is so lucky… Kori is all smiles and sweetness… plus a major hottie! I can't see why she picks someone like Richard."

"Because Richard is _'Mr. Perfect'_," Garth shrugs and sits down on the bench; I sit down too as I put my shoes on, "He's an athlete, an honor student and the president of the student committee…"

"Doesn't really help him have more friends, does it?" Roy asks seriously but I don't really notice as Garth's words still hang in my head.

"I think it's shallow… how the _'princess'_-type girls always goes with the _'prince'_-type boys and vice versa. I think it would be nice if they search for something deeper or something," I mumble absentmindedly, thinking of the school's lovely couple… thinking about Raven.

The next thing I know, silence is already filling the room.

…

"Dude…" Garth wrinkles his nose, "What have you been smoking?"

"And can I have some?" Roy smirks and grabs his duffel bag.

I blush, feeling extremely awkward, "Yeah… uh… so why Kori? I mean she has _'Richard's'_ essence!" I say without thinking, in desperation on changing the subject.

"Richard's essence?" Garth snorts, now amused.

I blush again and don't answer, afraid that I might say something dumber. Good thing Roy is quite defensive of his feelings, because he takes the spotlight off me as he speaks.

"What about you? As far as I know, Raven has feelings for Richard, you're like a rebound boy…" he says, his attitude changing.

_Oh…ouch._

"Are the rumors true anyway?" Garth asks with a smile as he is now amused with Roy's defensiveness.

"Huh? Yeah, confirmed that two months ago…" I suddenly find it hard to fake a smile as I feel an unfamiliar unpleasant feeling rise up in me.

"But I like it… gives me a challenge!" I cover quickly as I see their sympathetic gaze… I know I don't get past them.

Silence.

"_Oh… I didn't know you guys were still here."_

I turn around quickly and I see Richard entering the room. We don't answer him… not that he minds. He just takes off his shirt and prepares to shower, hardly staring at me through the awkward silence.

I decide to leave it.

"Anyway, gotta go, Raven's waiting for me…" I clear my throat and sling my backpack to my shoulder. Richard fully faces me now but I pretend not to notice, "See ya!" I head to the door.

…

Raven surprises me as I go outside, "Raven? I thought we were supposed to meet at the school grounds?"

"Oh… yeah…" she answers, unusually baffled, "Richard… Richard talked to me when I was heading out… so I decided to wait for you here…"

I notice that something is bothering her, but I don't press on it… not now.

"Is that so?" I put on my trademark grin, "Well then… let's go!"

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Raven!" Richard grabbed the girl's arm as she walked past the boy's locker room, "Can I talk to you for a second?"_

_Raven looked at him, "Since when have I not given you my time?" she gave him a sad smile._

_Richard ignored it, "It's about Wally… I don't like him… I mean, I don't trust him…"_

_Raven rolled her eyes, "This again? What's your problem now?"_

"_Wally is not the nicest person, you know… and… and I don't know… I think he's up to something bad…" he fumbled for words as his hands gestured wildly._

"_That's what you think, Richard."_

"_And… and Roy's getting more connections to Kori now!"_

_Her heart froze, 'Should've guessed this is about her…'_

"_Is that what your problem is?" she maintained a calm voice despite the ill feelings threatening to spill out._

"_No!" he said immediately, "I mean… it's one of the main reasons… Raven, you know how much I love Kori… c'mon," he said awkwardly, and for the first time, Raven didn't find it cute._

"_Wally is my friend… he makes me feel comfortable about myself."_

_She just had to try… just had to…_

"_For me, Raven? Just consider what I'm saying…" Richard took her hands in between his and held them tight, Raven, as if disgusted with the contact, pulled them back immediately._

'_I'm sick of this…'_

"_Richard," she started, "I know your world will fall apart without Kori… and I know you love her so much that you're willing to disregard my happiness… I understand that."_

_Richard winced, her words were gentle, though slightly dramatic… But he didn't miss the tone she was using and the smile she was using, it was calm and straight, but shadowed with such despair and passion. _

_Never had she shown this to him…_

… _Or rather, never had he noticed her showing it to him…_

"_But I just can't bring myself to disregard myself and my feelings for you and Kori anymore… I'm sorry."_

_Immaculate silence._

_She didn't flinch when he looked at her in such a painful manner, how his look asked her, 'what's your deal?' , how he questioningly frowned… but she did give one sad sigh when he turned his back on her and walked away._

_**End Flashback**_

* * *

****

"He's such an asshole…" I whisper to myself as Raven told me her story… well, all she said was that Richard didn't like Roy flirting with Kori, but it's still annoying! And I'm sure Raven purposely missed some facts and details there.

"What?" Raven asked as she made her way inside the store, I followed her.

"Nothing…" I say as I brush invisible specks of dirt on my shirt, "So Raven, what are you planning to buy?"

I know the question is lame… but I really care.

"Hmm?" Raven tilts her head a little, "Just some canvas and watercolor… I noticed that I haven't painted in months…"

I smile brightly, "I really like your paintings. What are you planning to paint?"

Some people might think that I'm just pretending to care, but I'm not. I really like her paintings.

_I really like her._

"I have no idea… you're the one who told me to do what I want to do… I want to paint, even though it's near the finals," she answers as she checks those watercolor thingies.

"Hey, paint something pleasant! And abstract!" I suggest, absentmindedly waving my arms around. I stop immediately though, when my antics draw most of the buyers' attentions.

Raven blushes in embarrassment, but I see that she's considering my suggestion, "Something nice and pleasant? That's definitely something I haven't done before…"

"So?"

She smiles, "I think I'll give it a try…"

I grin, feeling happy. I don't know why but I am…

_She makes me feel happy._

And we stay silent for a while, enjoying each other's company. I suddenly take interest in the art materials, finding them cool and interesting. I pick one thick paintbrush from its container, it looks like any normal paintbrush… but I inspect it anyway.

_Maybe I should try and paint._

I turn around to ask Raven the question, but she suddenly speaks, "Pleasant and abstract… I should paint someone as how I see them."

"That's a great idea!" I watch her turn her head away from me and to the brands of watercolors. She whispers something to herself. I hear it. It catches me off guard.

"Maybe Richard…"

I drop the paintbrush… a sudden pang of pain hit my heart.

_I like Raven, she makes me think of deeper thoughts and feel deeper emotions._

* * *

**Author's notes: **Oh my God… I am getting so fond of Wally… HELP ME! My rabid RaeRob fanatic-ness is in danger! Need to read good fics… _need to read good fics… _EHEM. Anyway, thank you **EVILWHITERAVEN** for beta-ing!

**To the reviewers:**

**that little voice in your head: **Thank you so much for reviewing! I don't think all Goths are pretentious… just some mall-Goths are. Thank you so much for accepting the RaeFlash pairing! None of my classmates liked the pairing… well, the only pairing they like is StarRob…

**DITZY: **I know… I know, it is sweet… and I'm getting really fond of Wally… err… or how I write Wally… I should cut back some of the Wally action**… _must fight temptation…_**

**RoBiNxStAr FAN: **Wow… Thank you so much! Wow! Thank you for reading this fanfiction despite the pairing!

**otakualways: **Oh man… now I'm making Robin look bad… oh well. Thank you so much for reviewing!

**HermioneGranger22491**Thank you! Oh, my grammar? LOL! I really have to thank EvilWhiteRaven for that… Raven being artsy, hehe, I have a deeper purpose for making her so… again, thank you so much!

**EvilWhiteRaven: **I'll hit Robin! There came a time in my life where I hated Robin so much that I even made a story just to bash his whole being, it's called **"Robin: The Uberly Dramatic Crayola Endorser"**. Not a thing to be really proud about, I know.Anyway… YAY WALLY! Ehem. Again, anyway… I'm not your first follower? _Sniff… sniff…_

**mysti-eyed: **Hi! Yeah… there are more crappy RobRae moments in the next chapters… I know, it's not a thing to be excited about. But look on the bright side, RAEFLASH! RAEFLASH! Errr… sorry about that… I will be sending you the chapters of **"Honey I Know" **very soon, hehe.

**InuyashasLucky13: **Again, I'LL HIT ROBIN! Errr… of course at some point, there will be sweet RobRae moments here too… but I'm not sure what pairing I'll end this with. But for a sure RobRae story, you can read my new story **"Honey I Know". **Though it's more sexual… _definitely more sexual_ than this one.

**Mad Mauser: **Thank you again! Raven just thinks that Robin feels that it's forbidden to be with her because of Star. Mostly because of how Robin is treating her… you didn't miss anything, hehe.

**Cherry Jade: **Thank you Cherry Jade! I agree, Robin is really abusing Raven… but look on the bright side… YAY WALLY! Raven won't be that sad in the next chapters, I promise! Well… no, I take that back…

**Moon Alchemist: **I still love your fanfic! I'm sorry about the crappy review though… I just couldn't find the right words to show how much I appreciate the story. Thank you for reviewing!

**Chica De Los Ojos Café: I LOVE YOUR REVIEWS! YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO WARM AND HAPPY INSIDE! **LOL! Raven and Wally are perfect? You really think so? (is freaking giddy).. Oh man… _I love RobRae… I love RobRae…_

**autumn in bloom: **Thank you for reviewing! I'm so inspired… Thank you ever so much!

**andromeda90: **I'll hit Robin for you! Oh… you didn't want to hit him… man… are you experiencing the same heartbreak Raven is feeling? Oh man, if you are then I am so sorry… I never felt heartbreak before, mainly because my love for people never got past the platonic or sisterly level. Which is great… NO PAIN!

**Raven of Dark Dreams: **Thank you for reviewing! That's nice idea! Thank you for suggesting it! Though Raven might not be using her friends as models… maybe she would use someone else?

**THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO REVIEWED! YOU ALL MAKE ME SO HAPPY!**

**Watch out for the next chapter: _Richard Knows…_**


	5. Richard Knows

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Chapter 4: Richard Knows in Richard's P.O.V.**

* * *

**_Flashback_**

"_Raven, c'mon… Why aren't you talking to me?" a seventeen year-old Richard asked, pleading the girl persistently_

_Raven crossed her arms and looked at Richard, "I want some coffee… I think I'll go get some coffee somewhere," she said to no one in particular and pretended to stand up, a blonde boy beside her stopped her from doing so._

"_Raven, we're in Jump City Café… What do you think they serve here? Socks?" Gar told her, looking at her with pursed lips._

'_Oh yeah…' Raven blushed._

_Another friend of them, Victor, signaled the waiter to come over, "That's right, Raven… Just confront him and make him realize what he did wrong…"_

_With that, the two boys beside Raven grabbed each of her arm and pulled her down to her seat. Raven crossed her arms and looked at Richard, "It doesn't matter… It's no big deal anyway."_

_Richard smiled and was about to say something but Victor beat him to it._

"_**WHAT!** Well it matters to **us!**" Victor slammed his fist on the table and Gar nodded, agreeing, "Raven, he can't keep doing this to you, he- "_

"_What can I get you, sir?"_

_Victor scowled and clenched his fist obviously annoyed with the interruption. He glared at the waiter, "Uh… just some coffee!" he waved his hand to dismiss the waiter then opened his mouth to speak to his friends once again._

"_What kind of coffee, sir?" he was, again, interrupted. Victor glared harder, Gar snickered, Raven sighed and Richard awkwardly scratched his nose._

"_**JUST GIVE US SOME DAMN COFFEE!" **Victor yelled and the waiter walked away, mumbling something along the lines of 'stupid customers…' continuously._

_Tense silence._

"_Ahem," Victor cleared his throat, "So yeah… **You need to stop doing this to Raven…" **he said, pointing at Richard._

"_Doing **what**? I have no idea!" Richard said exasperatedly, glaring at Victor and Gar. His glare then went to the tensed girl beside them._

"_Doing **what**, Raven?" In contrast to his stare, he asked her gently._

"_When you forgot my birthday last week, you promised to treat me to a movie the next weekend… That was yesterday," Raven sighed, still not looking at him, "You didn't show up…"_

"_The same thing happened last week, last last week, last month, the time you didn't bring the painting to the art exhibit Raven asked you to bring **AND MANY TIMES BEFORE THAT!**" Victor counted the situations with his fingers angrily._

_Richard's eyes snapped open, "Oh my God…" he slumped on his seat and breathed heavily, "Oh my God, Raven… I'm sorry…"_

"_**DAMN RIGHT YOU SHOULD BE!"** Victor answered for the girl who just kept quiet on her seat. Gar scoffed, agreeing with his friend._

"_Raven, I'm sorry… I have a good explanation, really…" Richard ignored the two boys._

"_It's alright," Raven sighed after quite some time, "It's not like I'm your girlfriend or anything…" she blushed at her answer._

'_If only I were…'_

"_**WHAT!"** both Victor and Gar expressed angrily, "**WHAT!"**_

_Raven gave them a look, "You two are, and will always be the best. Now let it go."_

_Gar, with his naiveté, was satisfied with her reply and finally nodded and smiled. Victor didn't buy it though, "I can't believe this!" he said and crossed his arms in frustration._

_Richard watched the darker boy face away from the group, "I'm sorry, really… but something special happened last night that made me forget…"_

"_What? You got laid?" Victor interrupted, feeling quite ill… 'Here he goes again, changing the subject to himself and his obsessions…'_

_Richard smirked, already loving the moment, "Kori's my first…"_

_Gar gasped. Victor's head snapped. Raven's heart squeezed and constricted painfully. Her heart bled… bled… bled…_

"_**YOU GOT LAID! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET LAID! NOT BEFORE ME!" **Gar whined loudly, forgetting their location._

"_Keep your voice down, Gar…" Richard forced a look of embarrassment. In all honesty, he was actually quite proud of it._

"_Wow… Nice birthday gift from you two…" Raven smirked, trying to hide her pain, "Thanks…"_

_Richard smirked back, already forgetting the main purpose why they wanted to talk to him._

"_Kori really wants to be a part of the gang… I mean, she does consider Raven as her best friend, but she still wants to connect with Gar and Victor!" he talked excitedly, not really paying attention if someone was listening._

…_Only Gar was listening._

'_Back to Kori,' Raven looked at Victor, who was painfully silent the whole time. She decided to talk to him._

_She didn't want to listen to Richard, afraid that the pain might kill her. That she'd suddenly vomit all the blood that her heart had bled… cry it out as her tears. She was afraid to feel it… She was better ignoring it._

_Leaning in, she whispered to Victor, "Something on your mind?"_

_Victor didn't reply._

_Considering it, Raven whispered again, "You two know, don't you?"_

"_Gar just really cares about you… he doesn't know," Victor finally whispered something back, "I do, though…" he gave her a sympathetic look._

_Tears started to rim around the corners of her eyes, "Hey! Don't feel sorry for me… I'm fine!" her voice cracked as she said so._

_Victor gave no answer._

**_End Flashback_**

* * *

I've always cared about Raven…

Sometimes, I care for her so much that it scares me. That's why I run away from her most of the time. Because I'm scared that she might get wrong ideas, that I might confuse her… I don't want to confuse someone I care for. I want to set things straight… That I love Kori and also her… but only just as a friend. That way… Raven will not fall for me and she will not get hurt.

Look at me… I'm not making sense.

I don't make sense when all I say are lies…

The truth is… I'm afraid.

So afraid… so frightened.

Of Raven.

I'm afraid of being close to her, ever since I started to date Kori… because the main presence of her makes me feel complete… makes me feel happy. She makes me smile just by sitting there… and I love touching her. I treasure it, every contact my skin makes with her is electrifying. It replays on my mind every time I lie down on my bed… every waking morning…

And it scares me!

Why the hell did I start to have these strange powerful feelings for her just when Kori and I became official? It's not like me… I'm not fickle. Surely it's just some misunderstood caring as a friend or some kind of mental sickness even.

Because I love Kori, not Raven.

That is why… That's why I don't hesitate to neglect and disregard Raven just to be with Kori. That's why I risk our friendship most of the time to go with Kori. That's why I don't hesitate to ruin Raven's happiness, dignity and pride just to spend the night with Kori.

It proves that I don't love Raven… It proves that I love Kori, right?

**_Right?_**

I don't want to hurt Kori…

Because I can see that Kori, the wonderful Kori, loves me with all of her heart. While Raven… Raven is a nobody… Raven… Raven…

'_And what about you? A far as I know, Raven has feelings for Richard…'_

'…_Rumors true anyway?'_

'_Yeah… confirmed… two months ago…'_

**Raven loves me too.** Even with all of my treatment, she still manages to love… to smile at me

**Shit.**

I am an asshole… a **BIG **one. I just hurt one of my closest friends… I deserve to die… every time she asked me a favor, every time she was close to me, I shoved the fact that I love Kori right in her face. God, I'm such a jerk… I deserve to die…

**NO!**

It's not my fault… Why do you think I acted in such a way? To prevent her from falling for me! But she does, anyway… All of my efforts wasted for nothing. I never wanted this… never asked for this… _I guess._

**_It's not my fault… It's not my fault… It's not my fault…_**

Now that Raven loves me… My worst fear has finally come… What am I supposed to do?

…

I should ignore it. Of course these emotions I'm feeling are just nervousness… If I love Kori, then I shouldn't care whether Raven loves me or not, right?

**_Right?_**

But then… Raven will become _closer_ to West. Those two are often seen together now. I don't like the idea of Raven being with West… and I just find it to be my responsibility to take her away from him. I just don't like West. West is plain annoying… He is just too cocky, egoistic and immature. I just can't stand him, and I only get acquainted with him in P.E. and soccer practice… I can't imagine how I could survive being with him for one whole day. How can Raven manage that? I know Raven is a rather quiet person, how can she manage to spend time with him? West just can't shut up, his voice is one of the loudest ones in the campus. I didn't even need to press my ears against the locker room door to hear his conversation with his friends… It's his fault why this whole thing is bothering me. If he only knew how to whisper and actually _did _whisper sensitive topics to his friends… then I wouldn't know about Raven's feelings for me…

Raven can use anyone to get over me… just not West… or any of his annoying friends.

Why not Victor? Or even Gar? Those two have girlfriends… They'll never take interest on Raven…. While West is completely single. If he takes interest in her (which I think he already does), he can actually take my place in her heart.

**_Shit._**

**_I love Kori, I love Kori, I love Kori…_**

* * *

****

Just a week before the finals… The past week was a little too hard for me to keep up with. Studying for the finals, attending soccer practice, organizing the student committee's activities… and running away from Raven are very stressful things for me to do.

Running away from Raven… I really feel bad for doing it but I just can't look at her right now.

"Hey Gar," I say as I pass by him and his girlfriend, "Have you seen Raven?"

I may not be able to look at her but I'm still curious of her well-being, what she's doing, _who she's with_…

"Huh?" Gar turns his head from his blonde girlfriend, "Terra and I just saw her a while ago,"

"Oh…" I mumble, curiosity filling me, "Was she with Wally West by any chance?"

Gar shrugged, "Don't think so…" he says as he turns his attention back to his girlfriend.

I immediately smile, feeling relieved for no reason.

"Well guys, I have to go…" I wave at the non-caring couple and walk away in an unusual good mood.

"**YO GRAYSON!" **

_There goes my good mood._

Wally West.

I turn around and incline my head to his direction, "West?"

"Have you seen Raven?" He asks as formally as he can… He fails, he can never appear formal.

"No," I say as a sudden discomfort attacks my stomach, "Why?"

"Huh?" he says as he scratches his head, "Nothing… just asking…"

"Do you have any plans with her?"

_God, unpleasant curiosity… Please leave me alone._

He looks uncomfortable now, "Yeah… I'm gonna treat her to Jump City Café…"

My stomach does a summersault, "Oh…" my arms stay limp at my sides.

"Yeah."

Silence.

…

"Don't you dare do anything that I don't like to Raven…" I say out of the blue… I have no idea why I say it… and what I mean by it.

It doesn't matter, he ignores it anyway, "So if you see Raven, tell her I'm waiting in the lobby…" he gives me a mocking pleasant smile. I _hate _it.

He is about to walk away when I say the words I have longed to say to him, "I don't like you West…"

Silence.

Still smiling, he turns to me and presses his knuckles to my forehead. I don't flinch.

"The feeling's mutual…" he says in an uncharacteristic grim voice and pushes my head back a little. He then gives me the most pleasant smile he has ever given me, "Oh yeah! I will _never_ do anything that _you_ don't like to Raven!"

"See ya Grayson!" he says in a cheerful voice and runs away.

_You're already doing something that I don't like to Raven… You're taking her._

…

**_Shit._**

_**I love Kori… I love Kori… I love Kori…**_

* * *

**Author's notes: SOMEONE STOLE MY WALLET AND MY "HONEY I KNOW" NOTEBOOK! THE HELL! WHY! **Anyway, I wanted to make Richard appear baffled and confused… I didn't want his thoughts to make sense, I hope I did okay with those thoughts. Thank you **"EvilWhiteRaven" **for beta-ing!

**To the reviewers:**

**DITZY: **Oh my God! You like my Wally/Raven pairing! I'm so happy! Thanks you so much for reviewing!

**autumn in bloom: **Thank you! It's really fun writing Wally… Since he's not on the show yet, I can still write him as how I picture him… I don't have to worry about him being OOC or something… I also like writing Richard and Wally's interactions with each other.

**mysti-eyed: **Awww… Thank you! I'm starting to like the RaeFlash pairing too… I guess it helps me prepare for the awaited (by RobStar fans) RobStar-ness of the fifth season, lol! And oh yeah… Richard know everything… tsk, tsk, tsk…

**inuspartan: **Thank you for reviewing! Don't worry, there's still a big chance that this will end up as a RaeRob… errr… no…I don't really know myself.

**Mad Mauser**Thank you for reviewing! You're starting to like RaeFlash too? YAY! I'm really not alone! I like your idea… Thank you for suggesting it!

**Umbra Puella: **Hi! Thank you so much for reviewing! Hmmm… Give Wally someone else… Errr, like Linda Park? Errr…. _(dies)_ Anyway, I really want to kill Robin here too… and it's my story… man… I should develop him more as a nice person here…

**inner-glow: **RaeFlash too? Wow! Alright, I'll think about it! Thank you so much for reviewing!

**HermioneGranger22491**Everybody knows Robin… But not Everybody likes Robin. He doesn't have much friends… Thank you so much for liking this story!

**Moon Alchemist: **Thank you! I know… I don't think I can break Wally's heart… and even if I manage to do so, I guess I won't be able to write it well.

**Chica De Los Ojos Café: **YAY! I GOT ANOTHER REVIEW FROM YOU! I'm so happy! Awww… You're starting to like RaeFlash too? YAY! I know… Poor Wally… Oh well… And Richard… I don't think you're gonna like him in the next chapters… but I'll do his character justice soon!

**shiroi-hana: **Thank you so much! You know, at first I thought not a lot would like my version of Wally, it just flatters me to know that a lot do or are starting to like him… Errr… are you gonna update **"Bora Bora"**? lol…

**Raven of Dark Dreams: **Little people… lol… Thank you so much for reviewing! And please do suggest more ideas! I like them!

**Thank you so much for reviewing!**

**Please watch out for chapter 5:**

_**Hurtful**_

"_Raven, I don't have to keep my promise," he says in an exasperated desperation, "and neither do you… Can we just leave each other alone?"_


	6. Hurtful

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Chapter 5: Hurtful _in Raven's P.O.V.

* * *

_**

A week before the finals and I can't focus…

I know this shouldn't bother me; I shouldn't _let_ this bother me. But Richard is acting weird around me lately… it's as if he's running away from me. **I don't like it**. I don't like him running away from me when I can already be contented just by looking at him. Is it too much to ask? Is it too hard to fulfill? Can't he recognize my presence just once? He's been doing this for a while now, almost for five days I guess… I wonder what went wrong.

Heh. I don't like this either… I don't like how I think of him constantly nowadays. I have always managed suppressing thoughts of him before, why can't I do that now? Why can't I ignore it now? I don't want to be some stereotypical lovesick bimbo that I'm probably appearing like right now. I'm tired… I'm just, tired. I want to stop this angst right now and actually start studying. I'm taking the Azarath University entrance exam in a few weeks, I should set my priorities straight.

But if my reason of taking the entrance exam is to keep my promise to Richard, then it just means that he is still top of my priority list.

_I don't like that…_

Sometimes, I'm starting to think that it's just because of pretension that I do this. I _always_ have to think of Richard. I _always_ have to sacrifice for him. I _always _have to please him… _I always have to be hurt by him_. Maybe my mind is just tricking me to feel and do these things… That would be nice because it means that I actually have a chance of getting over him. But then, I never wished to stop loving him because I take it as one of the greatest pleasures in life. I'm actually quite frightened that something bad might happen if I stop doing so. And if this happens…

Actually, what would be the outcome? _Should I be afraid of it?_

I will be free, for the first time in five years, from the waiting and hoping… and also the denial that comes along with it. _Why don't I want that?_

If Wally can read minds right now… He'd be amused.

"You're thinking of… Richard," his voice suddenly penetrates my mind and I look at up him, suddenly blushing.

Sometimes I think he can really read minds… He always seems so tuned in with my thoughts.

"C'mon… I treat you out and you do nothing but stare at your food and think of Richard," he mockingly pouts, feigning annoyance.

I roll my eyes, "Who said I was thinking of him?"

_I am a big liar._

"Me," he answers simply, "Because when you love someone, they will always be on your mind, whether you like it or not…"

I snort at his childish answer and take a bite of my cake, "Whatever…"

"It's true!"

I shrug.

_I know it's true… I just don't like admitting it._

"Oooh! I know!" He exclaims suddenly, "Let's play a game!"

I give him a questioning look, "A game?" I snort and roll my eyes, "Okay, you hide… I'll go seek…"

He frowns at my sarcastic answer, "No… C'mon Raven, it'll take your mind off of Richard and I can actually have someone to talk to…"

_Do I want to take my mind off of Richard?_

…

_Yes._

"Fine," I answer, considering it.

He grins widely, looking shamelessly giddy, "Great! Okay… pretend that I'm Richard, and say what you want to say to him!"

I raise my eyebrows, surprised, "No!"

_I can't and won't reveal my thoughts about Richard._

He grumbles a bit, "Fine… just your diary… tell me your feelings…"

I roll my eyes, "No…"

"Pretend that no one is listening- "

"No."

"Preten- "

"No!"

He slumps back on his chair, "You're no fun… I just wanted to know why you're so down…" he slightly pouts, "You know, to make you feel better and all."

His words strike me quite powerfully. It touches me. How can someone be so nice to someone who just snapped at him?

… Sometimes I think that Wally can really read minds. I mean, he just accomplished something that only a few of my close friends have accomplished… sense my hidden emotions.

He's also the first one to fully assume and understand my feelings for Richard. And he's so nice about it. He acknowledges it, yes… but he treats it like it's no big deal. The reaction that I often seek in people who get my actions… my feelings. The few people who get it often think wrongly of me. He doesn't. As I said, he's very nice and sincere to me. This actually makes me feel quite ashamed of my lack of effort to get to know him… to show him how pleased I am whenever he accompanies me.

_He's pretty amazing._

… _And he makes me forget about my issues with Richard._

I smile, for a change, and chuckle lightly, "Hey, it's no big deal," I lean in and whisper lightheartedly, "Richard is just ignoring me…"

He clucks his tongue, "Stupid… Not you! He's stupid… I mean."

I shake my head and smile. _He's still charming._

"So…" I start, "Still wanna play a game?"

His head bounces up and his eyes light up a bit, "Of course! What game?"

"Okay…" I smile, "Let's say that I'm interviewing you… Tell me something about yourself…"

_I should also get to know him._

He tilts his head, thinking, "Well… You know most of the basic facts about me- "

"Not at all… I only know your birthday," I interfere.

He frowns, "Well… I like sports… and food and all…" he says lamely.

I pretend to yawn, "You know, for a pretty impulsive guy, you sure can be boring…"

His frown deepens as he takes my comment personally, "Well, what am I supposed to say! My whole life is pretty much an open book anyway… There's nothing _that_ interesting about me," he glumly sighs.

Silence

_I know he's not an open book. And I know that there are a lot of things about him that I don't get… But what am I supposed to say?_

"Don't get overly dramatic on me," I smile after the awkward silence, "I'm pretty sure that you'll find something in you that we'll both find interesting enough to talk about."

He lightly grins, "Well… I get dramatic most of the time… that's one thing about me…"

"Yeah, I can see that… I _have_ seen that since we were toddlers…"

"And… Even though most people see me as an immature jerk, I can be pretty nice… I think," he scratches the back of his head quite bashfully.

"You _are_ nice," I ensure him; "You're one of the nicest men I know."

His smile widens, "And I think I have depth… I kinda like art too!"

I nod as my smile also widens.

"And I also appreciate things, in contrast to popular belief… I treasure my friends! I like my friends! I like Roy and Garth, they're really cool! And Karen is funky!" He gets excited now, and as embarrassed as I am for admitting it… it excites me too.

"AndIlikeyou,you'reprettyandnice!"

…

_What?_

…

"And I also like Victor and Gar!"

… My face suddenly feels incredibly warm.

"The only person that I don't like is Richard. He's such a dork!"

My heart thumps, "Thank you…"

He suddenly stops ranting, "Huh?"

"I said thank you for calling me pretty… and nice," I blush as I say the words.

Silence.

He blushes twice as hard as me as he awkwardly scratches his nose, "It's no problem… I always tend to…" he looks down, unable to finish the sentence.

I probably feel twice as awkward as him.

"Well… I think you're good-looking and sweet," I mumble gracelessly as I try to even-out the situation.

…

"Uhh…Thanks…"

Bashful laughter.

"So… WhatwasItalkingaboutagain?" He continues and I can see a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Something about Richard…" I answer with a smile, feeling, if possible, more comfortable with him than ever.

* * *

"Yo Raven!" I suddenly wince at Victor's loud voice. I put my book down on the table and look around the library. I see Victor waving as he approaches me. I smile.

"Reminder Victor, this is a library," I drawl as he sits nest to me.

"Exactly… What are you doing at the library at this time of the day?" He puts a hand on my shoulder, "It's five o'clock girl, go home already!"

"It's five days before the exam… I have to study," I answer instantly… monotonously.

Victor raises an eyebrow, meaning he doesn't buy it. He doesn't believe my lie. I wonder why though, it's a simple made-up fact or excuse. Who would find the time to analyze what I just said and decide whether it's true or not?

"You can't lie to me, Raven," he sighs, "Something is bothering you, ain't I right?"

I shake my head vigorously, "No! Nothing's bothering me. I guess I just feel a little pressured, that's all…" I act quite convincingly as I wonder who would sense the lie.

…

Victor, that's who…

"Hmmm…" Victor rolls his eyes, still not believing me. He lets go of the subject though, "So, where's Wally?" He asks.

"Oh," I mutter, feeling relieved that he changed the subject, "He's somewhere… Maybe training for track and field, I don't know…" I answer as I look at my watch, searching the library as I do so.

"So Raven," Victor clears his throat, "You looking for someone? Waiting for someone?"

"No." I lie again and I close my book, "I just noticed how late it is already… Have you seen any of the soccer varsity team lately?"

Victor shrugs and I nod, "Oh… I see… Well I should be going home," my voice shudders in nervousness as I sense that he already knows what's on my mind.

I stand up, taking my book with me, "I'll see you around, Victor…" I say as I am about to leave.

Victor stops me.

"Raven…" He starts, "I can't help but notice how you and Richard aren't talking anymore… Are you guys alright?"

I freeze,_ so he knew_ _all along, what was the use of lying to him?_

"I don't know, Victor…" I sigh, "I guess something is just bothering him… I was planning on talking to him this afternoon, but I guess he already went home," I shrug, trying to conceive a look of indifference. I shrug it off, as I remember how my lies don't get past him.

"Oh," there's a hint of sadness and sympathy in his voice, "Raven, I think he's still outside... maybe you can still find him. And if you see him, talk to him about the Azarath University entrance exam."

I nod; obviously, he's trying to help me.

"Oh, and Raven," he adds with a gentle smile, "Sometimes he asks about you… So I don't think the problem is about you… maybe just some personal issues," he shrugs, still smiling.

I smile back, "Thank you, Victor…"

He waves his hand, "Yeah, yeah… Just straighten whatever your problem is, it's stressing the gang. Now, go look for him," he says in a kind voice and I turn around, about to do what he said, when _his_ head pokes in the room.

_Speaking of the devil…_

"Hey, is Kori he- " he freezes midway as he sees me.

_Is that a blush I'm seeing?_

_No… I must be imagining things._

"Kori's not here…" I answer to no one as he immediately closes the library door. Rudely ignoring Victor and me.

_And you thought you saw a blush… Keep dreaming, Raven._

Receiving a look from Victor, I follow Richard to the school corridors. My legs strain as I quickly carry myself next to him, "Richard!" I call out.

He keeps walking, ignoring me.

"Richard!" I run now, trying to catch up on him, "Can I talk to you for a second?" I say as I place a hand on his shoulder.

He tilts his head, avoiding to meet my eyes, "Ye-yeah… Just make it quick…" I sense nervousness and an emotion I can't define in his voice.

"Well," I started, "I just wanted to know if there's something wrong- "

"There's nothing wrong!" His tone is defensive, harsh even, "Can I go now?" He still hasn't looked at my face.

_There's obviously something wrong._

… _But if he doesn't want to talk about it, it's not my place to force him to._

"Wait… I just wanted to remind you about the entrance exam in Azarath University," I take my hand on his shoulder back as I see how uncomfortable it makes him, "Have you studied for- "

"No," he interrupts quickly, "I'm not taking the exam…"

I stare at him, confused.

"I thought you…" I fumble for words, "B-but you always wanted to go there… R-remember when we promised each other that we'll go there together when we were kids? I-I… I'm taking the exam for you, come on…"

_I don't know what I'm saying anymore… My desperation is embarrassing._

There is an awkward silence as I watch him think for a while.

"Raven, I don't have to keep a promise to you," he says in an exasperated desperation, "And neither do you… Can we just leave each other alone?"

I know he doesn't mean what he just said, but I can't help but feel condescended… embarrassed by his words. His confusing, hurtful words.

…Then it hits me…

"Is that why you're acting funny?" I ask.

_He knows…_

_And I am being sucked in a spiral of emotions._

_Confusion… Desperation… Grief._

_Heartbreak…_

_**Anger…

* * *

**_

**_Author's Notes: _**Is it true! We're not allowed to respond to our reviewers anymore! But that's unfair! How am I supposed to communicate with my lovely reviewers? Mann! Please tell me it's just a rumor…

Anyway… :hugs reviewers: **I love you all!** :sniff:

Thank you **"EvilWhiteRaven**" for beta-ing!

**Please review if you have time!

* * *

**

_Watch out for chapter 6**: Worried**_

"_**YOUGO TO HELL, WEST!" **Richard…_

"_What's happening?" I almost scream as I prepare to run by Richard's side. Raven stops me._

"_**AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT THERE, I'D BE GLAD TO!" **I have never seen Wally in such a negative disposition._


	7. Please Make Her Happy

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Chapter 6: Please Make her Happy :_in Kori's P.O.V.:_**

* * *

****

I am worried about my friends.

Richard and Raven… they are very cold towards each other. It saddens me… makes me feel dangerously ill. Raven does not eat lunch with us anymore. She mostly spends her time with Wally and his friends, has she found better friends in them? Has she already forgotten us? I don't want her to be mad at us… I love Raven dearly and I miss her already. I wish the coldness doesn't last… it's already the finals and after these we only have two more months to be with each other and then we'll be off to college… in our separate ways.

I want to savor my time with them, I really do.

Sometimes, I cannot help but feel disappointed in Richard. He is the first one to ignore Raven. It may seem unfair to him, but sometimes I think that if he wasn't rude these past few days to Raven, then she may still be hanging out with us.

"I miss Raven," I sigh the words for the nth time, "I want her to eat lunch with us…"

Victor and Garfield look at me sadly. I know they miss her too.

… Unlike Richard.

"If she would rather hang-out with them than with us, then let her be," Richard says from behind the book he is reading.

"Do you not care, Richard?" I frown in distaste, "I think that you, being one of her oldest friends, should care the most about this…"

"Kori, Raven is her own person… if she doesn't want to be with us anymore, then let her…"

I watch Richard go back to reading with saddened eyes.

_Raven will not just leave me alone…_

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Is this why?" Raven asked angrily._

"_Is what why?" Richard's toes twitched, itching him to run away. He took one shaky breath, forcing himself to look at Raven; he asked the question again, "Is what why, Raven?"_

"_You know about my feelings for you," it was a statement, "Is that why you're avoiding me?"_

_Silence…_

"_I'm sorry if it's bothering you…" Raven said in a quiet voice, "but you can't just treat me like this."_

"_Why not, Raven?" he answered, his voice quivering, "Don't you know how uncomfortable it makes me?"_

"_I'm sorry about that… it's my entire fault that I have feelings for you. I didn't try to stop it… I couldn't control it… I am such a b-tch," she answered in a calm voice, dripping in sarcasm._

"_Raven," he shook his head in disbelief, "You have to understand, it confuses me…"_

_Raven immediately dropped all of her anger and self-pity to make room for understanding Richard. She listened to him, all the while thinking of ways to compromise._

"_Richard, as I said… I'm sorry; you're not the only one who feels bad about it. Can you at least consider my feelings for once?"_

_Silence… he stopped himself from running._

"_I find it hard to do… Raven, it feels like you lied to me for all these years…" Richard said. In reality, he didn't want to say the things he was saying… he knew they were hurtful. But if he had to prove his love for Kori… he had no choice but to close himself to Raven, he couldn't afford to hurt Kori…_

_What he didn't know was that he didn't need to be cruel to the other girl._

"_How did I lie to you, Richard? Are you going to disregard me again?" Raven asked, her patience slipping._

_Richard stayed silent for a while, "It just seems selfish to me… Raven, I don't want to hurt Kori! I don't want you to hurt Kori…"_

_Bad move…_

"_What!" Raven's voice boomed. "Richard, neither you nor me wants to hurt Kori. Who do you think I am? Why did I suddenly gain the image of the evil and selfish antagonist!"_

"_No Raven… it's just that your feelings… I see them as a big obstacle for us-"_

"_I hadfeelings for you **long before** you even started to talk to Kori! **My **feelings **NEVER** interfered with your love story… It **never stopped** you two **from** being happy! My feelings **never wanted **to take you away from Kori! Richard… I can't and will never be able to hurt Kori… and it's cruel of you to think of me in such a way…"_

_Richard looked at the stiff girl in front of her, guilt panged in his heart._

"_Raven… I can only give you my friendship; I can't give you what you are asking for…"_

"_This is exactly why I never wanted to tell you anything… Richard, I have never asked you for anything…"_

_Silence…_

"_It's just plain uncomfortable… I can't deal with it…"_

_Now, this was not how Raven pictured how Richard would react with her true feelings. Of course she expected rejection… but never, not even in her nightmares, did she picture his total withdrawal._

_Deciding to fight, Raven withdrew first, "You don't have to, Richard. I won't be acquainting myself with you for some time… it'll help you adjust…"_

…

_She was sick of the pain anyway…_

…

"_Don't worry about me, I have other friends. Friends who are certainly better and more appreciating than you…"_

_She whispered the last part as she walked away._

_Unfortunately, he still heard it…_

_**End Flashback**_

_

* * *

_

"Hey Raven!" I see my dear friend smile at a charming African American, who is calling her.

"Hi Karen," Raven answers, "Can I do anything for you?"

"Yes! Yeah… yeah… Err… Can you help me with my art requirement after the exams?" this _Karen_ asks her, "I can really use some help, I suck at art…"

I can see that Raven is surprised, but she answers the other girl, "Sure Karen, what do you have to do?"

"I proposed a charcoal sketch… now it's bothering me as I have no idea on how to do it… I want to sketch a tragic scene though…"

_You expect Raven to help you? Raven doesn't just help anyone…_

"Oh… sure I'll help you… when?"

I stifle a gasp, Raven helped… Raven agreed to help her.

"Saturday afternoon okay? I'll bring Wally to make us feel more comfortable."

"Sure," Raven smiles as this _Karen_ pats her shoulder.

I feel tears sting my eyes. I don't blame myself… not only am I very emotional, but also quite sensitive towards the actions of my friends. I am quite jealous. WHY is Raven being more open to them? Does she like them better than us? What do they have that we don't have? Are they better friends? Well then, I am sure that we can surpass them!

_Oh Raven… if I only know what's going on._

I look at her again only to see her sitting alone. But unlike before, she looks more comfortable alone. I am happy that my friend is improving… but I don't like the idea that her _new_ friends are the ones making her smile openly, be more social, and actually be true to herself. What did we miss?

_I want to be the one to make Raven happy…_

I don't lose hope though. I know Raven still loves us the most, and she will soon open up to us… I wonder what she is hiding though, is it that serious that she can't say it to us? No matter what it is, I will never have any ill feelings for my bestfriend.

"Kori?" Raven sees me watching her, she smiles.

_Never have I seen her smile that easily._

Courage rises up in me as she smiles and soon, I walk right up to her with a longing smile, "Raven…"

"Kori…" she smiles a little, "is there anything wrong?"

I nod, but then shake it quickly, "No… Well I just wanted to tell you how much we miss you…" I touch her hand.

She flinches, "We?" she snorts, "I suppose by we, you mean you and…"

Her words startle me, 'All of us! Victor, Gar, Richard… all of us!"

She turns rigid, "Sure… I believe you." There is some hint of sarcasm in her voice, but I am not sure… so, I ignore it.

"I… I miss you the most, Raven," I sigh as I sit beside her, "Raven, are you mad at me?" My stomach drops as I nervously wait for an answer.

"No… Kori, never," her eyes soften, "I can never be mad at you…"

I stay silent, absorbing her words… I still feel ill, "Then… why are you like this? Why do you stay away from us?"

She opens her mouth and thinks in obvious discomfort, "I-I don't know… I just… I just don't belong with the gang anymore…" she whispers and I bow my head in pain.

"Oh," I cannot even pretend to smile, "Well… you are still my bestfriend-"

'I still love you dearly, Kori," she interrupts as she takes my hand. She wipes the tears that I have been unknowingly letting out, "You know that, right?"

I nod as the pain starts to disperse, "Yes… I do now."

She smiles gently and tightens the hold of her hand, "Great…"

"We have the same class this period, Raven."

"Yeah… I knew that."

"Do you want to sit together?"

She nods and stands up, "Yes… I'd love to."

_I'd love to too, Raven._

I smile widely as stand up, grabbing Raven's arm as we walk side by side. _Richard will sure be happy as he gets to know that Raven isn't mad at me._

"**GO TO HELL, GRAYSON!"**

_What?_

Raven and I stop on our track as we see an enraged Wally stomp his way out of the cafeteria. Nervous, I look at Raven, who appears to be baffled, sweat trickling down her forehead. I wonder what Wally's problem is now… Richard has always told me how rude he is these past few days…

"**YOU GO TO HELL, WEST!"** I almost scream as I prepare to run by Richard's side. Raven stops me.

"**AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT THERE, I'D BE GLAD TO!" **I have never seen Wally in such a great disposition.

"Why don't you just admit it, West? It's your entire fault!" Richard spits his words out venomously… it is so uncharacteristic, it frightens me.

Wally, still furious, drops his notebook and glares herder at Richard, "Cut the crap, Grayson… why not just settle it here?" he challenges as he closes his fists and stances himself.

Richard does the same, "If that's what you want, West…"

"**STOP!"** Raven finally snaps and my heartbeat goes faster, "What's happening here?"

At the sound of her voice, Wally stops and stands up straight, "You should watch your boyfriend… He's very rude when you're not around," he looks at me.

I stay silent as I realize that I am trembling.

"I was only telling the truth," Richard straightens up as well, "You completely overreacted!"

Wally glared at him, "Not only did you insult my being, you also insulted my friends! Insulting is different from telling the truth!"

"Again, you are overreacting!"

Wally looks exasperated, he turns to me, "What do you see in this _asshole_?"

Richard's face reddens in anger, "That's enough… you have no right to say that…"

Wally snorts, "Right… but you have the right to call my friends worthless and deceitful… what a dandy world this is!" He picks up his stuff from the ground and leaves.

That's when I realize that I am terrified, almost crying. I look at Richard, ignoring the crowd surrounding us. I stare at him silently. Never had he done this before.

"Fist fights? Insults? What are you Richard, eight?" Raven breaks the silence.

Richard glares at her, "Why not just follow rebound boy over there?"

"Rebound boy?" Raven and I say at the same time.

"You know that he is… You're using him to replace _me- _… us, right?"

Raven shakes in anger, but she holds it in with a deep breath, "Now I know whose side I'm on," she says in a calm voice and leaves.

I stare at Richard. Bastard. I love him and I know that I'll never mean any hurtful words that I'll say to him. But I am angry, I just lost Raven again.

"Good luck with the guidance counselor, Richard…"

* * *

**Author's rant:**

**I LIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE! **

Ehem… hello my beloved readers… Errr… do I still have any? I doubt that anyone would still care about this fanfic… it's been a long time since I updated…

This chapter is unbeta-ed… I feel quite embarrassed to suddenly ask **EvilWhiteRaven** to beta for me when after a long time of delay… Hehehe…

Thank you to my reviewers!

**Chica De Los Ojos Café – **Here's your update! I STILL LOVE YOU! I HOPE THAT YOU STILL LOVE ME TOO!

**EvilWhiteRaven - **:cries: I'm so sorry! Here's a new chap dedicated for you! I miss your beta-ing… I've gotten pretty rusty over the months… I hate my grammar.

**Cherry Jade- **I hate Richard too… Well, not really… Muhahaha! I just watched Lightspeed… it made me feel heartbroken… :cries: Less Strange and Beautiful supporters for me… Err… I'm ranting… I'm sorry.

**Mad Mauser**- I don't know how this will end up too… LOL! But please be patient with me!

**Raven of Dark Dreams**- I hate writer's block too!

**Wally Maniac – **Rae/Wally? I was planning to… But then there's the Lightspeed episode… Man, whoever reads this note must sense my OOBER bitterness…

**mysti-eyed – **I hope you still support RaeFlash, hehehe! Here's an update!

**DITZY – **Wally/Raven supporter, are you still? PLEASE BE! Muahahahaha!

**AnnFaithDarknessGoddess – **Wow, it's hard to type your username… LOL! More teenage drama angst thingy in the next chapter! Please wait for it!

**MsLessa – **Raven didn't cry here! I hope you'll like this chapter!

**Poison Iris – **Thank you for reminding me to update! I hope you liked this chapter! Feel free to send me messages anytime!

**SugarDevil – **Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you still like this fanfic after a long time of being on hiatus, hehe.

**The Black Crow – **Thank you so much for reviewing! Yeah, they are a great couple… But they will never be together… :cries: I'm so sorry… I'm just so bitter these days…

**Miyuki – **Errr… it's easier to type Miyuki, I hope you don't mind, LOL! Well, here's an update! Yeah, Richard is being a jerk… Eh, maybe he'll be nice in the future… MAYBE…

**Daybreak25** – Here's an update! Thank you so much for reviewing!

**shiroi-hana – **Here's an update! I want to dance the dance of the chicken too:dances: WOOHOO! Now where is my Bora Bora!

I'm so sorry for updating so late… I just had a lot in mind…But I'm willing to update regularly again! I hope you continue reading the fanfic! I'm also asking for special requests or whatever, I want to write a one-shot but I have nothing in mind… If you have requests, please… I beg you… let me do it…

I write lemon too!

Oh yeah

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Sorry about that…

Please review if you have time!


	8. Can You Tell Me?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Chapter 7: Can You Tell Me:_In Roy's P.O.V:

* * *

_**

_**Flashback**_

"_Wally… I am so sorry for whatever he said, I'm sure he didn't mean it…"_

"_Why are you the one apologizing?" Wally snapped, obviously still in a foul mood._

_Raven kept quiet, why **was** she apologizing for Richard? It was not her fault… right? She wanted to make sure, "What did he say to you?" she gently touched his arm._

_Wally still kept an angry face, "Just some personal shit. He also insulted my friends… Why do you care?" He spat._

_Raven got the message. She tightened her hold on his arm, "He said things about me, didn't he?" She asked firmly, "If he did, and it hurt you, I want you to know that I never had any intentions to hurt you… or even just think ill of you…"_

_Silence._

"_He emphasized things that even I don't like about myself…" he finally gave in after a moment, "Not to mention that he called me a gullible rebound boy…" _

_Raven listened intently, her heart filling with more frustration for Richard, "That was harsh…"  
_

_Wally looked at Raven's face and stared at her in guilt, "I-I don't know… but you immediately entered my mind when he called me that," he swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat._

"_Raven… am I your rebound boy?"_

_**End Flashback**_

* * *

****

'_Kori, Kori, you're so fine_

_You're so fine_

_You blow my mind_

_Hey Kori!_

_Hey Kori!'_

What the fuck? Like Hell I'll ever pass this poetry crap in Literature. I wish I could make a nice sensitive and deep ode for Kori… just to show my feelings. That is impossible though, I can't even find a word that rhymes with _'leave the crap out of Richard'… _Hell, I can't even rhyme _'elope', 'cheat' _and _'choose me'_ with anything. I'm hopeless… I will die waiting for Kori… not to mention also as a high school student as I'll never pass Literature.

_Wait…_

Maybe I should ask Raven.

She just helped Karen in her sketch thingy. She helped Garth with his music composition, and right now, she's teaching Wally how to paint!

Yeah… Raven… RAVEN WILL BE MY SAVIOUR!

I look at Raven, who is sitting beside me looking at a crumpled piece of paper.

"Hey Raven," I scoot closer to her, "What are you looking at?"

She looks at me and shows me a drawing… or at least that's what I think it is, "I swear, a three year-old can draw better than Wally," she drawls, slightly smirking.

I look at Wally's _'stick-people'_ version of himself… pathetic… but cute, "You should see his penmanship," I say.

"A pre-schooler can write neater than him," Raven rolls her eyes as she turns the paper and shows me a very messy _"Thanks for everything, Raven!"_

I snort, "He's a pre-schooler in an eighteen year-old's body."

She chuckles along with me and I see her gingerly folding the paper and placing it in her folder. I smile… how can she treasure such crap? I would understand if she likes Wally or something… Hell, I would worship anything that Kori would give me… be it Richard's genitalia or worse.

"So… you wanted to ask me something?" She asks suddenly.

I smile, "Yeah! Oh yeah! What rhymes with_ 'elope'_?"

She gives me a confused stare, "Uhhh… rope? Cope? Slope? Hope?" She gives me examples and I grin…

'_Why can't you and I elope…? Give my feelings help to cope…'_

Yeah! Perfect!

"Wow… thanks!" I widen my eyes, "What about, '_leave the crap out of Richard'?"_

Her jaw falls, she must be thinking I'm crazy or something, "What!" she appears exasperated… and scared.

_Eh… I am crazy… Crazy for Kori…_

_Man that was cheesy…_

I shrug. "Well, the only phrase I came up with was _'and I'll give you lots of mustard'_… and that's not very eloquent."

"Well… you just told her to leave someone she loves, that will never be eloquent," she obviously tries to relax, "Why are you planning to write such things?"

I shrug, "I like Kori… a lot."

"But Kori loves Richard."

"So?" I answer defensively, "It doesn't mean that they'll never break up… it doesn't mean that I don't have a chance."

She looks at me, "Wow… I never witnessed anyone to be so optimistic in such a disposition." I take her words as a compliment.

I thank Wally for that optimism, actually…

"Why make yourself unhappy? It's free to dream; I can always hope or see the beauty of my feelings alone… I got that from Wally," I say, smiling, "Naturally, I always find it easier to understand words when I translate it. So in Roy's words, it means, _someday, Kori will soon realize that she loves me and she'll leave Richard alone to date a hooker._ You got that? I'm never giving up! Never!" I mock, shaking my fist in the air.

Raven snorts, quite loudly, "You sure are persistent, I wish you luck," she suddenly stops, "… Not that I want my friends to be unhappy…"

_Wow…_

I look at her.

…

I like Kori… maybe even love Kori, so I cannot blame myself whenever I wish ill of Richard. Thoughts of Richard being electrocuted, hit by a truck and attacked by man-eating gorillas are very normal thoughts that go inside my head. But Raven… In spite of her feelings for Richard and the lack of consideration she's receiving, she still wishes the best for them.

"Raven… you really are nice…"

_No wonder Wally likes you so much…_

I see her blush and I continue, "Thanks for the help in the rhyming thing…"

"You're welcome."

Silence…

"You know Roy, Kori _does_ love mustard…"

* * *

'_To my Strange and Beautiful-_

_Society sees you as odd_

_Plainly weird or a gothic fraud_

_Society is wrong can't you see?_

_As you're nothing like that to me_

_You are beautiful, sweet and kind_

_And you seem not to leave my mind_

_If he still ignores you in fright_

_Just look at me! I'll be your knight_

_I'll stay awake to watch you sleep_

_Please just show me your smile so deep_

_And my heart will be yours to keep'_

"HEY!" Wally shouts as he grabs the piece of paper in my hands, "No one gave you permission to read my poem!"

I roll my eyes and snort, "Don't worry, with your penmanship, I didn't understand a thing… be sure to computerize it, 'kay?" I smirk. That is just defense mechanism… the truth is, I'm quite envious of his poem. Wally is no Edgar _'Whoever' _Poe… he'll never be able to write masterpieces, but his poem is simple… and sweet. Definitely charming.

Unlike mine…

Kori will probably never speak to me again once she reads this.

"Leave the crap out of Richard and I'll give you a lot of mustard?" Garth reads from behind me, "What the Hell! You asked for my help on this piece of crap?"

I grow quite defensive again, "Shut up!" I press my poem against my chest, "Did you get what Kori's eye color is whenever she gets mad?"

"Yeah," Garth says proudly, "I asked Richard."

_The Hell!_

"What?" I gasp, "And he told you!"

_What the Hell happened to that guy?_

"He said it's dark violet…"

"DARK VIOLET!" I panic as I tear my paper into pieces, "I thought it was green! How the Hell am I supposed to rhyme dark violet with _queen_?"

Garth stares at me, awestruck, "Didn't you work on that for two hours? Well… He was kinda staring into space when I asked him what Kori's eye color is. Well, he said dark violet…"

"Be sure to visit me here when you're in college, "I say hopelessly as I stare at a tense Wally.

"Dark violet?" He suddenly says, "But Kori's eyes are emerald… how can they turn dark violet?"

"Maybe she's bionic…" Garth shrugs.

"Look, it doesn't matter, "I whine, "What matters is that I'll never be able to graduate!"

Once again, they ignore the wonderful Roy. Without even looking at me, Wally turns to Richard's direction and shouts, "YO GRAYSON! How can Kori's eyes dark violet when her eyes are green?" All eyes in the cafeteria turn to us as it grows silent. I swear, Wally is asking for trouble.

Richard appears confused, "What?"

"Garth asked you a while ago," Garth waves as Wally points at him.

"Yeah… I said emerald."

"No… You said dark violet," I look at them now.

Silence.

Richard finally shrugs, "So? I made a mistake… it's no big deal," he rolls his eyes and goes back to his own thing.

…

"What's happening here?" Raven suddenly appears and asks as she sits in front of us. The noise in the cafeteria starts to get louder again.

Wally shrugs, "Nothing important… Hey, Raven! Have you heard of the _'thingy-thingy' _dance?"

Raven looks up. "You mean the _'Mid Spring' _dance? I saw them put the poster up just now… I swear, people have obsessions with dances these days," she rolls her eyes.

Wally's face drops, "Oh… so you're not going…"

"I don't like dances… and dances hate me."

"Oh… then, I guess… I won't go then." Wally bows his head in disappointment.

_Poor Wally… It's alright… We can always hangout at Azar bar, you know… we can lament on our non-existent love lives._

Raven looks up again, "Why not?"

Silence.

"Why not?" Raven repeats the question.

_Oh my God… what is with dense people these days!_

"Well, I have no one to go with," Wally excuses lamely, "I was hoping that we could go together, y'know… just to keep each other company…"

Raven thinks for a while, "Sure, why not? I'll go with you."

Wally's eyes light up, "Really!" He grins.

Raven snorts, "Yeah… I enjoy your company, anyway," she smiles.

_Wally, you **DAWG**!_

"Hello classmates! May I sit with you?" a sudden voice startles all of us but my heart starts to flutter.

"Kori," Garth acknowledges, "Richard's sitting right there…" he looks at the table where Richard is sitting on.

I glare at Garth; I swear… these people curse the day when I'll become happy. They hate me! _Why do you want to send her away, Garth, WHY!_

"Well… I want to sit with _you_," Kori smiles ever so sweetly, "May I sit with you?"

"Sure," I smirk… _YEAH! Kori wants to sit with me!_

I watch her sit beside Raven as she gives her a tender hug. Raven smiles at her. The smile is warm, but she is giving it uneasily.

"So," Kori prepares to speak, "May I know what you are talking about?"

"About the Mid-Spring dance… Are you going with anyone?" I feel my hopes get up.

"I am going with Richard," she answers and my hopes go rock bottom, "I am not as excited though… I think Richard is hiding something from me…"

"I'm sure he's just stressed," Raven immediately tenses, "He and Wally _are_ seeing the guidance counselor…"

Kori ignores Raven's answer and immediately changes the subject, "I heard that Victor and Gar often hang out with you in Jump City Café…Why?" There is a hint of bitterness in her voice, "If they can hang out with you, then it means that I can too, right?"

"Of course!" I reply instantly, "This afternoon at five?"

Raven glares at me, "Does Richard know about this? Is he alright with-"

"Who cares about Richard?" Kori gently cuts her off, causing Raven to send me dozens of death glares.

But I don't mind them…

_C'mon, Raven! Richard doesn't have to know… let me be happy for once! You have Wally! Let me at least have a moment with Kori!

* * *

_

_**Flashback**_

_Raven's eyes softened, "No… never…"_

_Wally pouted more, "Because… I can be nice; I don't think I deserve to be just some rebound boy."_

"_You **don't** deserve to be that… it's plain pathetic calling you that…"_

_Silence._

"_I'm not using you or your friends to replace mine. You know I have no problem with being alone… I can be a loner so I don't need any replacement of my friends. I befriended all of you because all of you are different… and definitely charming. You all got me hooked," she smiled._

"_You all make me feel appreciated… and I thank you for that…" she finished, blushing, "You're all too wonderful to be mere replacements."_

_That's all he needed to hear._

"_You want some tea from Jump City Café?" He asked out of the blue, his mood starting to brighten again._

_Raven snorted and held his hand, "Sure… it's my treat…"_

_They proved to be wonderful **friends**._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

My heart clenches as I see the frustration and despair in Kori's eyes.

"I cannot believe that Raven is not coming. I was looking forward to it," Kori lets out a tiny sob and I cannot help but feel disappointed in Raven. How can someone make such a sweet girl sob like this?

"She's just busy, Kori…" Wally tells her.

"Lies!" Kori senses them, "I know that only Richard and I are the ones whom she is ignoring. I know you guys are hiding something from me!" She points at Victor, Gar and Wally as she lets out an angry sob.

"You are overreacting Kori…" Victor says calmly.

Kori's reaction is the exact opposite, "I AM NOT DUMB! I tried to feel alright with being left out, but I am sick of this feeling. Please tell me what is going on…"

Silence.

"Wally?"

Wally freezes, "It's not my position to tell you that, really…"

Kori frowns, "Fine… then I will demand an answer from Richard!" With one last look, she storms off.

I watch her as I become more speechless than before.

Raven's in trouble…

"_Okay Roy… I saw how Richard looked at us when Kori sat beside me… If I don't stay away, our conflict will just get worse. Kori might also get affected. I'm sick of foolish conflicts… I just want to stay away. Now, you're the one dying to be with her… so I expect you to make up a **good** excuse why I'm not going. **And don't make Kori feel bad! And don't even try to get her to cheat on Richard!"**_

_Now I didn't really seduce Kori… but… Raven…_

_I'm so sorry Raven…

* * *

_

**Author's Note: A MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU! My ever-so-wonderful reviewers, I love you all! And lookie! Because I have no life, I replied to all of your reviews! I also updated my profile! Woohoo!**

**EvilWhiteRaven is THE BEST!**

**To my Reviewers:**

**Daybreak25:** I LIIIVVVEEE! AGAIN! Here's an update for you:protects Wally: YOUCANNOTKILLMYWALLY!

**finalitylife: **Wow! Thank You!

**Tecna: **I'm thinking of RaeFlash… Mainly because it feels unfair for Raven to still pair her with Richard after all he's put her through…

**shiroi-hana: **Wally is adorable! MOOHAHAHAHAHA! I hope you liked this chappie! I DANCE THE DANCE OF THE CHICKEN! WE DANCE THE DANCE OF THE CHICKEN!

**raven1777: **Hello! Since it's Kori's point of view, all of the italicized words there, well except the words in the flashbacks, are her thoughts.

**Monchhichi: **Thank you!

**ELM-Tree10: **I hope this update also made you happy! A lemon is a story where there are strong implications of sex.

**DITZY: **YAY! DITZY :hugs:

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**lma: **I hope this made your Christmas! LOL!

**Chica De Los Ojos Cafe:**CHICA:hugs: Great to know you're still reading this! I'm working on your love triangle, by the way, MOOHAHAHAHA!

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**Raven's soul sister: **Here's another chapter for you!**  
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**Felicity Dream: **I will join you in your riot! We will protest! Oh, I wrote Flash/Raven one-shot… I don't know why I haven't posted it yet… LOL. But I'd love to read your fanfic!**  
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**MsLessa: **LOL! Your review made me laugh… Anyway, thank you so much for still reading this!**  
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**lunafan: **Hi! Thank you for reviewing all of the chapters; you're so nice. And you're not alone with your feelings of being a traitor… I feel like one too.**  
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**Tritium: **Wow, thanks for reviewing each chapter! And there will be no Kori bashing here! I am not a Starfire hater! This chapter is for you… because… I don't know… :bows head in shame:**  
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**Tears of a Demon: **RaeFlash too! YAY! I can't believe you all like Wally so much :hugs:**  
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**azn sister 92: **THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING! I'm glad you like Kori in this fic… some RobRae fics bash her… tsk tsk, the injustice she's receiving, tsk tsk… And why is Richard so bothered by Wally… I don't know… lol. I think some reasons or hints why are shown is the "Richard Knows" chapter, lol.

**Those who will review will receive the HOLY COOKIE OF DONDI :holy music:**


	9. Victor Knows

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Chapter 8: Victor's Knows :_In Victor's P.O.V.:

* * *

_**

_I _am worried about Raven.

If Kori gets to know the real reason why Raven's out of the gang, she might overreact. Kori's all smiles and I've seen her mad before, sure… but who knows what she might do to Raven once she is…well… Kori loves Raven. I don't think she'll practically do something appalling.

I hope she doesn't do anything appalling…

I, sometimes, think it's unfair of Richard to blame Raven for all the things that have been happening to him lately. He doesn't actually do it, but I see it in each one of his accusing glares. I can't help but feel mad. Raven definitely doesn't deserve all this. All she did was care for Richard, have feelings for Richard. She doesn't deserve the discomfort she's causing herself.

On second thought… I think I'd like it better if Raven keeps ostracizing herself from Richard and Kori…

One, it lessens her pain and tension.

Two, it makes her more open and free.

I have her, and I guess, also my and Gar's newfound friends to thank for that.

Back then, Raven was so afraid to hurt someone, to do something wrong, to do something that others didn't want her to do. She didn't let anything out as she forced herself to do what she thought other people wanted her to do. She grew up blaming herself for everything that went wrong and feeling that it's her responsibility to make it right again. She was lonely, but she wasn't angry. Raven was selfless… too selfless that it was almost stupid… I did not like that.

Good thing she's starting to change.

I don't know how Wally's friends do it, but I like it! Whatever it is, I'm sure it's making Raven happier. You can actually see the changes… her smiles, her laughter, her enthusiasm… For more than a decade of being her friend these sides that she is showing now are still shocking me. They're so alien! Yes… she crumbles down every time Richard is near, but I'm sure she can adjust, with our help and all.

_With Wally's help and all…_

You know… Back when we were eighth-graders; I was really rooting for Raven to end up with Richard, I even wrote it on paper! _Raven loves Richard! _I clearly remember that piece of thing!

But with all the added elements and complications, the chances are, let's say, it is impossible for them to be together. Plus, I also love Kori. I don't want that girl to be hurt…

_I don't want any of my girls to be hurt…_

So now, the easy solution to my matchmaking problems is to root for Raven to end up with Wally.

_Yes… shipping for the bored._

But I'm not stupid. Any person (except for Gar, he's overly oblivious) who sees those two together can see that Wally has feelings for Raven. Please, I don't need any deeper reasons… just one single look is already enough. I think that's the Wally is. His feelings are in their simplest form. But you know as they say…

"_Love in its simplest form is the most beautiful"._

I hope they can handle each other.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Alright, alright. First, you stay away from us, then the next day, you're hanging out with Wally's friends…" Gar put his hands around his waist and growled, "Who are you and what did you do to the real Raven!"_

_Raven frowned, "You annoy me."_

_It was a statement._

_Silence._

"_Okay. So you're the real Raven," Gar didn't stop pestering the quiet girl, "So are you sick or something? You know Richard hates that group!" he shamelessly acknowledged the other people in the room._

"_So? I'm not Richard, Gar." Raven sneered._

"_Still… shouldn't you respect his feelings and thoughts? I know you always have."_

_Raven opened her mouth to speak but Victor beat her to it, "Gar, we're not here to force Raven to do things she doesn't want to do, **nor** judge my girlfriend's group of friends. We are here to ask Raven what's wrong," he said the words slowly, making sure that his friend understood._

"_And nothing is wrong." Was the girl's reply._

_All teenagers rolled their eyes, "Please… Just tell them, Raven. It would also be nice for us to actually know the **exact** reasons why you suddenly have all these conflicts in Victor's group…"_

"_Victor's group… Richard's group… why name it as one's group? They're friends! They all should be equal!" Wally couldn't help but say something… it annoyed him._

_Karen snorted, "Woah! Calm down, man! It's just a way in their group…" Victor nodded, agreeing with her._

"_And why call it a group? Why limit yourself in groups?" Wally didn't stop._

_Silence. The boy had a point._

"_Well… Richard kinda started it…" Gar murmured, his mind being provoked to think._

"_Richard is an asshole." Wally replied, rolling his eyes._

"_HEY!" Gar shouted and looked at Raven, "Are you just gonna allow him to say that?"_

"_I…I…" Raven sighed, "I can't tell them what to think of someone… If they or he, at least, thinks he's an asshole, then let him."_

"_AHA!"_

"_What?"_

"_Oh c'mon Raven… it's obvious just by tone of your voice. The problem is between you and Richard!" Victor grinned knowingly._

_Raven was annoyed, "What makes you think that?" she snapped._

"_You can't lie to us, Raven…" was all that was heard from the boy,._

_Pause._

"_Raven, sorry for bringing this out in the open… not that it's such a big secret nowadays anyway… but… is this problem somehow connected to your feelings?"_

_Silence._

"_ALRIGHT!" Wally shouted and grinned, "EVERYTHING'S CLEAR NOW… LET'S GRAB A BITE, I'M STARVING!"_

_Glares._

"_What? I am hungry…" Wally was ignored._

"_Wait… what feelings?" Gar suddenly asked, clueless._

_Raven groaned, "Nothing… forget about it-"_

"_Oh c'mon Raven," Victor was sick of all of the denying; "Raven has feelings for Richard." It came out as such a surprise for them, not because of the information but because of Victor's boldness in dismaying Raven. _

_The other people shrugged, 'Victor probably knew what he was doing'._

…

"_WHAT!" Gar, the only one with a violent reaction, looked at Victor, "WHAT!"_

…

"_It's quite obvious once you think about it, you're the only one in this group who doesn't know about this." Garth pointed out quite condescendingly when Victor refused to answer._

_Gar ignored the other boy, "Raven… is that true?" he asked as he turned to the girl._

_No answer._

"_Raven, stop glaring at Victor and answer me!" Gar whined._

_Raven sighed. She decided to give in. No matter how much she found Victor's action stupid and no matter how much she wanted to run away and deny it… and no matter how much she wanted to lie it would be no use. Almost everybody knew it already anyway, "Yes, somehow… I don't know…" she slumped to her chair. God, how exhausting it was to explain long-hidden secrets._

… _Silence._

…

"_And yes… my feelings are the main cause of all this falling-out," feeling forced to continue, Raven sighed; a sudden pang of guilt hit her as her usual emotions came over her again. That was the main reason why she didn't want to talk about it, it made her feel bad, "I'm so sorry for making you feel uncomfortable… God, I don't even know how it got this bad…"_

…

"_How did it get this bad?" Victor asked sympathetically as he sat beside the suddenly depressed girl._

_Raven shifted her eyes from corner to corner. Somehow she blamed herself for her sudden discomfort, but she didn't actually know why. Maybe **that **was the reason why she blamed herself and why she felt uneasy. She didn't know how it got so bad and she didn't know why all of its weight was put on her shoulders. All she did was have feelings for Richard. Was that enough to put her to blame? Was that enough excuse for Victor and Gar's discomfort? **Did** she cause the discomfort? She didn't know._

"_I-I guess, it just made me… I guess it just got a little too hard to bear… with Richard's constant rejection of me… and probably his conflict with Wally," she looked at Wally and smiled uneasily. Wally returned the smile._

"_And… I said some cruel things to Richard the other day," Raven continued explaining; purposely leaving out the details of Richard's cruelty to her, "I guess that triggered it all." She sighed sadly._

_No matter how angry she was at Richard, she couldn't help but feel concerned for him if Victor and Gar knew his previous interactions with her, "I guess it was entirely my fault… I was being selfish, I-"_

"_Can I butt in?" Wally suddenly fumed out of the blue, "Before she finishes that sentence, I'd like to tell you all that Raven is not selfish! Richard is an ass and Raven is just being aggravated by his asshole-ness!"_

_Silence PLUS glares._

_Wally came back to sulking, "What? Am I not allowed to insert my two-cents in?" He pouted and went back to staring at the window._

_Silence…_

"_Well… Wally does have a point… I know you're not telling us **everything**, Raven… I know you," Victor said sternly. Raven kept stubbornly quiet._

_Victor sighed, "Aren't you gonna tell us what's really happening?"_

"_Maybe… Maybe later, not- not now," Raven still feared for Richard's sake… as much as she hated admitting the fact… she still cared._

_Victor growled in frustration, but his face immediately softened, "Fine. But whatever that conflict is between you and Rich, we ain't in it! So don't expect that we won't bother you anymore… because we'll still be in your face for the rest of your life!" Victor let go of the issue at the moment and grinned at Gar, who was standing at the exact same position for the last ten minutes, "You wanna say something?"_

"_Dude… the 'feelings' fact is still sinking into me… shut up," Gar mumbled, still awestruck._

_Victor rolled his eyes along with Raven, who felt a lot better, "You are the most useful person in the world, we should always have you in open forums," he told Gar sarcastically as he looked down at a semi-smiling Raven._

_He opened his arms, "My favorite girl should give me a hug!"_

_Raven smiled warmly as she welcomed the hug._

_It was seconds later when Gar finally came to his senses, "Yeah! And I just want you to know that I'm willing to befriend Garth just for you!" he ran to her and joined the embrace._

_Silence…_

…

"_Errr…" Roy cleared his throat, "This may sound awkward… but after standing here, feeling mindlessly out of place... can we join that hug? Because one, Gar just somehow verbally attacked Garth and he needs a hug now. Two, if we don't join that, our egos will be crushed to know that our presence were totally useless. And Three, you just lied to me Victor… I thought I was your favorite girl," he pretended to tremble, "I- I really need a hug…"_

_Snorts._

"_Hey, come and join," Victor grinned. He knew it was meant as a joke. But he wouldn't mind a hug at all. Nope. Not at all…_

"_Wow… this is not at all cheesy and awkward," Raven said sarcastically as she saw Roy playfully hug Victor. Despite the sarcasm, she was smiling widely. It was the first time she felt truly accepted._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"Hey Vic!" Wally literally skips past me and I smile thoughtfully.

"Sup man? You sure look cheerful today," I grin as I grab his jacket and pull it so he can face me.

Wally stumbles back, "Woah," he laughs lightly as he grabs my shoulder for balance, "Yeah… I'm quite happy," he says after he stands up straight.

I look at him, as I sense that he wants to ask something.

His questions catch me off-guard, "Say… Victor… Do I look good in a pink shirt? Or should I wear a normal one? Because I don't want to look glum on a date… Pink is bright, most men wear it now, and they say that it's the new black, but wouldn't it turn someone-perhaps Raven- off? And what about my hair? Does it look better gelled or not?" He suddenly bombards me, moving relentlessly at the process.

…

My confused eyes stare at his joyful ones, "What?"

He sighs, almost exasperatedly, "My **_clothes_**, what style looks good one me?"

I stare at him again, "What!" I ask, almost sounding appalled, "Man, don't ask me for clothing advice… it gives me the creeps," I cringe.

Wally frowns for a split second, "Fine. I was just asking… maybe I should ask Karen…" he turns to leave but I stop him again.

"Though it's nothing new, you're awfully cheerful today… and with the clothing questions… 'sup?"

"Oh," Wally blushes… if I were a girl, I would find it adorable, "I just talked to Raven,"

I feel a smile creep on my face, it automatically turns into a grin, "_And_?" I urge, almost mockingly.

"Well… you know…" he scratched the back of his head and chuckles, his blush deepening.

My grin grows wider, "And you asked her out," I answer my own question; satisfaction rises in me as Wally fails to hide a grin, "Wait till I tell people that you're a big boy now," I tease.

Wally blushes.

_I am happy for you, Wally._

I enjoy his discomfort," Look at you, liking Raven and all," I tease him again as I picture him as a kindergartener with a schoolboy crush. He acts like one, anyway. And it's quite fun to watch.

"Well… it's just hanging-out… I didn't actually tell her that it's a date…" he says as he switches his weight from foot to foot, all the while scratching his arm in pleasant discomfort.

_Oh… of course… Raven wouldn't just say 'yes' to a date._

I still smile, anyway.

_It's a start._

"So where are your friends?" Wally asks me as an attempt to change the subject. He probably thinks that I would mock him for not asking Raven out completely. Heh. I won't.

"Gar's with Terra, and Rich… is on his way here," I decide not to pester him anymore… it may ruin his mood, and I don't want that to happen.

"Oh," Wally's eyes widen in distaste, "Well, I'll go now… I don't wanna cause some tension," he says as he catches a glimpse of Richard walking towards me.

He walks off, but turns back at me, "Say, how'd you know about my crush on Raven?" In contrast of all of his shifting, he addresses the issue in such an innocent carefree manner that I can't help but snort and laugh heartily.

"It's obvious," _very obvious_, "Now go and ask Karen what pink shirt would go on you, you gay bastard!"

With a smile, Wally runs off.

It only took a second for Richard to appear behind me.

"He sure looks happy…" he speaks; his voice and tone sound awfully stressed, "What did you guys talk about?"

"Nothing important," I unconsciously lie, "So… Kori isn't talking to you yet?" I ask, but my concern in lying on a different topic.

_I hope Raven sees how devoted Wally is on helping her.

* * *

_

_**Flashback**_

"_Wally… you didn't really need to introduce me to your friends," Raven protested politely, but her eyes showed deep gratitude for the boy._

"_What's the matter? They all liked you," Wally shrugged in an optimistic manner, "That way, you won't have to be alone."  
_

_Raven pursed her lips, "What's wrong with being alone?"_

"_If you become a loner, you'll think of Richard more," Wally answered her directly, "Why do you like him so much anyway?" He felt his heart clench as he said the words._

'_Not that question again,' Raven inwardly groaned at the thought. She decided not to answer the question._

_Maybe it would also be better for him if he didn't know… There would be no unpleasant feelings that God-knows-why rises every time he hears her talk of Richard._

…

_But then, Raven changed her mind and answered._

"_You know Wally, they once said that if you want to be happy for many years; you should **love** someone," she sighed, "Maybe it's the reason why I'm so devoted to Richard… because I want to be happy."_

_Yes. Raven not saying a thing would've been better for Wally, for his heart clenched tighter with her words. He ignored it._

_Silence._

"_You know Raven, if you want to be happy for a lifetime… You should help people, that's what the nuns say," Wally smiled._

'_Like how I'm trying to help you with your frustrations and loneliness… it makes me happy. Maybe you can help me stop this stupid heart of mine to stop clenching for no apparent reason,' he thought, denying the real reason for his pain._

"_So yeah, don't be a loner and eat lunch with us tomorrow," he averted the subject back to the previous topic._

_Deep inside, he knew he wasn't getting the happiness he deserved by helping people._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

**Author's Note: **Weird little chapter this is… the actual main purpose of this was to establish the characters so I can develop them… I hope you noticed the slight changes in their personalities, if not, I totally screwed this chapter up… I think I'm losing my touch… if I had a touch, LOL! Oh yeah… girly Wally rocks! Let him wear pink! (I don't know where that came from, I'm so sorry…).

**THANK YOU EVILWHITERAVEN FOR BEING WONDERFUL!**

Anyway, **THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE REVIEWERS! I HOPE ALL OF YOU HAD A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!**

**raven x bb: **I have four words though, I love you too…

**You'reJustJealousCozISoundLikeARockstar: **RaeFlash too? WOOHOO! (That rhymes! LOL!) Yeah… I'm thinking of a way to make Richard appear less of a jerk here, LOL… help me…

**Tritium: **Hey! You reviewed again! Starfire will NOT be bashed! Oh the last part was already in the afternoon. If I'm correct, Speedy said that they should meet at 5 that afternoon…so it's 5 in that scene.

**Tecna:** Thank you for reviewing again! Yay! I hope you still liked this chapter in spite of its suckiness… LOL :)

**IxLovexWallyxWest: **Love the sn! And yes, Wally rocks! I don't know if he's better than Richard, because it's been quite a long time when I wrote a chapter in his P.O.V., so you don't really know what's on his mind, I do though… MOOHAHAHAHA!

**ELM-Tree10:** Thank you! No prob on the info, hehe! The problem with Richard is that it's the other's point-of-view when I wrote the chapter, so of course their opinions of Richard will be biased. Victor still respects Richard, that says something, right:smiles:

**Neilie:** I love Roy too! But I'm afraid that I made Roy look like a loser with no life in that chapter… RobRaeFlash with a dose of Kori-ness will be soon explored in this story.

**lunafan: **Hello lunafan! I apologize for this chapter, I don't like it that much, LOL! Oh! The friends in bold? I don't know what I meant by that… I was kinda hinting that their friendship can be developed into something more… I don't know, LOL! Please forgive my stupidity.

**Daybreak25: **:hugs: YAY! I have a cheer too! It goes like this… "Hey Daybreak, you're so fine! You're so fine, you blow my mind! Hey Daybreak! Hey Daybreak!"… Yeah… good cheer.

**FiliaofMortis: **Awww… THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm glad you loved the previous chapter, because I have a strong feeling that you won't like this chapter very much… :sighs:

**DITZY: **As one of my faithful readers… I really want to talk to you! Do you have AIM? YM? MSN? LOL! Awww… yes, I think this will be RaeWally, MOOHAHAHA! But you might forgive Richard… soon.

**Chica De Los Ojos Café: **Happy Birthday! Anyway, thank you so much for reviewing again! RaeWally is what you want? Then RaeWally it is… and I hope you liked my present :winkwink:

**Platina: **Hi! Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you liked this chapter! I didn't see enough hints that Kid Flash fell for Jinx (well it's either that or I'm in total denial), he was just flirting with her… he is a very flirty teen anyway. In the comics though, he fell for Raven! (through manipulation! Just like marriage! LOL! I remember saying that to someone…).

**Violetx3 : **:gives you a holy cookie of Dondi:insert holy music: Thank you for reviewing:hugs: So yes, this will be a RaeWally as I have ruined Richard's chance to be with Raven :sighs:… it doesn't mean that I won't do Richard justice though!

**lma: **I hope you liked this chappie :) Thank you for reviewing again!

**The Black Crow: **Hello! Roy was apologizing to Raven because it was him in the first place to strongly suggest to Kori that she can be with them despite Raven's warnings. He was also apologizing because he didn't make a good excuse, hehe. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Lost In Nevermore: **Wow, I worship your fics! Thanks so effing much for reviewing! You effing rock too!

**EvilWhiteRaven: **I'm so glad you also liked Roy! I know, I also believe that there should be a P.O.V. who is a pro-Richard… I want to develop his character. There are more pro-Wally's here that pro-Richard's I believe… And Wally does deserve Raven, in this fic at least… because there's no single interaction between them in the show… :grumbles away:

**pinkprincess: **Wow! I'm so flattered! Thank you so much! Roy was saying sorry because he felt that Raven would get in trouble (with Richard, at least) because of him. It was he who so badly wanted Kori to be with them and who invited Kori to be with them despite knowing what could happen if Richard saw Kori with them… Errr… yeah. Hehe!

**Yukata Mizu Yosei: **Awww… Thank you so much! And thank you also for liking my version of Wally… because I did this before he was in "Teen Titans"; I didn't get to match his character with his in the show, hehehe. Oh, about Richard… Yeah, he's been a jerk so far, but he's still a good person! I promise you that deep down his selfish little heart, there is still light. What the-

**HimeItsukaKitto: **Hello! It's so nice to see you again! I hope you liked this chapter… there isn't really drama here… so I guess you won't need any tissue, but here:hands cookie: Enjoy! Wait… Richard is _that _mean:reads chapters: Really?

**Miyuki-chan: **I can call you that, right? Thank you for reviewing again! Yeah! I also like Kori and Gar… I should put more of their interactions here… Hey, don't worry; Kori will never be bashed! And I feel bad for Raven too… but it's part of her character… she just avoids the problems she can't avoid, so they pile up in front of her.

**Moon Alchemist: **Yay! Hugs! The last sentence? LOL! Roy was saying sorry because he felt that Raven would get in trouble (with Richard, at least) because of him. It was him who so badly wanted Kori to be with them and who invited Kori to be with them despite knowing what could happen if Richard saw Kori with them… Errr… yeah. Hehe!

**alena-chan: **Oh wow! I feel so honored receiving a review from you! I felt great when I knew that you read this story… and I feel so grateful for your review. It seems like we're the only ones who like Richard… I like him because not a lot can read his character, and since that they don't know why he's acting like that, he will really appear as a jerk to them… Oh man… I think I just unconsciously bashed Robin in this fic…

**KFJinx+KFRaven: **… Thank you for reviewing! KFJinx? Sure, I'll give it a chance… but I'm not sure if I could make a fanfic, I have a lot to do. But I'll try to, I have to be friendly with the pairing anyway…

**Elven Dragon Rider: **Cant… resist… rainbowy goodness…. RAAAHHH! Here's your update! Now where are my skittles?

**Teen Titans Obsessor: **Thank you so much! I will try to update faster! Again, thank you and please review again.

**The Grim reaper and her little voices: **Thanks a lot for reviewing! Yes, this will be a RaeFlash, hehe. By the way, I will love you forever if you post **Highschool.**

**DJ mini mix: **Here's your update! But this is unbeta-d, so forgive me for the suckiness (is there such a word?) of it. Roy was saying sorry because he felt that Raven would get in trouble (with Richard, at least) because of him. It was he who so badly wanted Kori to be with them and who invited Kori to be with them despite knowing what could happen if Richard saw Kori with them… Errr… yeah. Hehe!

**Crazy for Raistlin: **Thanks for the review! The pairings you mentioned are also awesome! Hey, does that mean that you also like RaeFlash now:smiles:

**Thank you to those who reviewed! Please review again if you have time because they keep me away from writer's block… which I can feel coming… :runs away from writer's block!

* * *

**

Unbeta-d preview of Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9: She knows. Doesn't she?**_

"_Raven is not some normal person whom you express normal acts of friendship with… I've been her friend since we were toddlers, I have observed all of her behaviors," he continued with such confidence that it had offended Wally to disgust._

"_After all of those years you brag about being with her, all you have is some twisted version of what you think is her," Wally gawked exasperatedly, "THAT IS NOTHING LIKE RAVEN!" _

_Richard, at that time, stood up, "Who are you to say that? Do you actually think that you know her better than I do?" He challenged._

"_Maybe…" Wally accepted the challenge, also standing up, "And even if I don't, at least **I don't** make her feel bad!"_


	10. She Knows Doesn't She?

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Chapter 8: She knows. Doesn't she? _:In Wally's P.O.V.: _**

* * *

_**Flashback**_

_Victor stared at Richard when he gave no answer, "I said, how are your issues with Kori?"_

_Richard kept his straight face, "She still isn't talking to me… God, I don't know what her problem is."_

_Victor scoffed, 'Yeah right…'_

"_You know, last time she talked to me, she said that she felt like you were hiding something from her… Maybe that's her problem," Victor cocked an eyebrow._

_Silence._

_Richard sighed, "Last time she talked to me, she demanded an answer for something…" he looked at Victor, his eyes hinting that he wanted to tell something._

_Pregnant pause…_

…

_Immaculate pause…_

…

"_You know that I know, don't you?" Victor smirked as he read his friend's eyes. He felt relieved actually… Getting the issue out in the open would certainly release some ungodly tension._

_That was if… Richard cooperated._

"_I know you know **something**… but not **everything**…" Victor's ears perked as Richard spoke the truth._

"_But I'm not letting you know **everything**… not yet," Richard replied, with this, Victor's ears went down._

_Richard would probably never cooperate._

_Victor poked his fork on the table, feeling uneasy. With the topic inappropriately closed, there was nothing left to discuss about… all there was left was the uneasy tension._

… _Hey, since there was already the tension, Victor supposed that it wouldn't hurt to make it worse._

_He was already used to it, anyway._

"_Rich, my man, tell me this though… why the coldness to Raven? And what's with all the Wally-hating?" He asked boldly, feeling slightly proud of himself._

_He grinned inwardly when Richard's pupils widened and when he stiffened… but it was short-lived as Richard immediately composed himself._

"_Vic, my man, if I tell you that, then you would know **everything**," Richard smirked as he expected a disappointed silence._

_There was none._

"_So you admit it," Victor's eyes glowed with intensity, "You do hate Wally."_

…_Silence._

"_May I ask why?" Victor plopped his chin on his pal as he stared directly at Richard._

_There was a pause before Richard answered, "Hate is such a strong word, Vic… use dislike." He answered irrelevantly._

_Victor rolled his eyes, "All right, your highness. Why do you **dislike **Wallace Rudolph West?"_

"_Because he's my rival," Richard automatically answered with a shrug; he automatically added a statement too, "… in soccer."_

_Victor snorted, "Rich, I know that you can sometimes be an ass… but you can never be shallow…so what's up?" He continued to stare at him._

"_Because of him, my temper flared which shocked Kori… it caused tension between us. Then Kori asked something that I couldn't answer which leads to her not talking to me," although it took him seconds, even minutes, to reply, when it came, Richard's words were clear, short and calm._

_Victor sensed the lie._

"_You have disliked Wally **way** before your argument."_

_And with that, Richard kept quiet. He was running out of excuses._

_He just had to use a defensive one._

"_I dislike Wally because I'm an ass," he said out of the blue, but he knew, deep inside his heart, that what he said was true, "Now leave me alone to lament on Ko-"_

"_Wally just asked Raven out…"_

_Pause, pause, pause…_

"_Oh," Richard trembled, eyes wide… eyes searching._

"_Yup," Victor grinned knowingly._

_Oh yeah… Victor, at that time, knew **everything**._

**_End Flashback

* * *

_**

"So… Where are we going?" Raven asks as she gets in my car.

I just smile and motion her to put her seatbelt on. I start my car again and start to drive; I look at the road before me, our destination fixed in my mind.

I feel Raven's eyes fixate themselves on me, "So… nice clothes..." she reaches out to touch my _peach_ polo shirt, I feel warm at the touch, "So… Uhhh… **Pink**?"

I blush and say defensively, "It's peach…"

Raven snorts, "Looks pink to me," she teases but immediately takes it back when she sees me cringing, "You look good, Wally…"

Silence.

I take a look at Raven, "You look good too…" I look at her knee-length skirt and white sweater; she manages to look so amazing while being so simple… I suddenly feel overdressed for the occasion.

_C'mon Wally… this is a special day and all you can think about is clothes._

I frown as I scold myself; Raven notices, "Anything wrong, Wally?"

"Huh? Oh nothing…" I lie. Not wanting to appear shallow or ditzy; I know it often turns dates off… Not that Raven knows that this is a date.

… Or an official one, at least.

I shake my head from side to side, as if trying to shake irrelevant thoughts out of my head, "So… have you ever been to Central City?" I ask, smiling.

She looks at me with intrigued eyes, "No, but I've heard of it," she keeps looking at me as she adds, "They say that _'Central University for the Arts' _is an amazing school."

I grin, "Yeah it is, my uncle works there… He used to be a professor, but I believe that he holds quite a high position there now," I see that she wants to ask something, but I immediately change the subject… it may seem mean, but I don't want to talk about universities along the way. Because she'll just mention her plans of going to Azarath University… and her whatever _Richard_-related reason behind that plan.

"So! Central City's my hometown, there's-a-lake-there-and-I-wanna-take-you-there-let's-go-boating!" I say quickly, mainly to hide and deny the bitterness I feel for the previous thought.

When Raven doesn't answer; I become tense, thinking that she has sensed my emotions. I look at her.

"Boating is fine," she replies… and I sigh out in relief, she had just been contemplating on what I have said… errr… maybe. Or maybe she was thinking of _good old_ Richard, **again.**

I sigh again… this time, to relieve myself from sudden unpleasant thought of Richard.

It slightly works… just _**slightly**._

_I don't like myself like this…

* * *

_

_**Flashback**_

_Wally felt cold sweat run down his back as he and Richard entered the Guidance Counselor's office. Surely he would get in trouble; the school had always preferred Richard; he **was** the president of the student committee… He just hoped that everything he wanted to say to Richard would be said before the school punishes him._

_When they were completely inside the dull room; the female Guidance Counselor motioned them to sit down. Wally looked at Richard's calm face as they both obeyed._

"_The president of the student committee and the friendliest senior of this school year," the woman finally spoke with a gentle smile, "Quite a surprise finding you two here…"_

_Richard took a sideway glance at Wally before clearing his throat to speak, 'Ma'am, it was all a misunderstanding. Wally just misinterpreted my words, that's all."_

"_You said that my friends are shallow people who will never get Raven and so that makes them unworthy of her attention… there is nothing to misinterpret!" Wally said as his defense. His face grew hot as his eyes met Richard's indifferent gaze._

_The woman calmly turned to Richard, "Is that true?"_

_Richard bowed his head to hide his reddening face, "He… he somehow rephrased it… but yes," he answered flatly before looking at the woman, "I was having a bad day and he just got on my nerves-" _

"_I just asked you if you'd seen Raven!" Wally's anger spilled, "And by the way, about what you said about my friends…my friends understand Raven better than you!"_

_Richard just snorted as he kept his gaze away, "I understand Raven better than anyo-"_

"_No, you don't understand her at all, liar…"_

…_Silence. The woman gazed at the two teenagers with amused eyes. She let them continue._

_It took moments before the argument continued._

"_When Raven feels ill, she prefers it if you leave her alone," Richard stated suddenly. And he continued to voice his knowledge, or what he thought was his knowledge of Raven, "Raven prefers quiet… speak to her **only** when she speaks to you. Don't push her for answers. Leave her alone when she is depressed, frustrated or hurt. Don't offer her help, her pride doesn't allow it. Always remind her of her responsibilities in society. Raven doesn't take flattery well. Don't express any admirations, concerns or opinions for her, it'll make her uncomfortable…" Richard stated as matter-of-factly, "Raven is not some normal person whom you can express normal acts of friendship with… I've been her friend since we were toddlers, I have observed all of her behaviors," he continued with such confidence that it had offended Wally to disgust._

"_After all of those years you brag about being with her, all you have is some twisted version of what you think is her," Wally gawked exasperatedly, "THAT IS NOTHING LIKE RAVEN!" _

_Richard, at that time, stood up, "Who are you to say that? Do you actually think that you know her better than me?" He challenged._

"_Maybe…" Wally accepted the challenge, also standing up, "And even if I don't, at least I **don't** make her feel bad!"_

"_And now you're saying that I make Raven feel bad… is that what you're saying?" Richard's mouth dried as he dreaded what Wally would answer. Maybe because he already knew it._

"_Yes, that's the only thing you manage to make her feel," Wally's voice raised higher as he stepped a foot closer to Richard, who also did the same._

"_It seems to me that this **Raven** is the cause of your entire dispute," the woman's sudden cool voice stopped the boys from lunging at each other. "What is her relation to you?" She addressed Wally._

…

_Wally blushed, feeling his breath calm down, "She's my friend… I-I like her," he admitted, blushing furiously which made the counselor mentally scold herself for wanting to tease him. When she managed to restrain herself from doing so; she turned to Richard, who was staring at the boy with wide, almost terrified, eyes._

_She ignored the look, "I suppose you like her too, Richard?" A fond smile played over her lips as she asked the question._

_It took him an eternity to answer._

"_I-Ye-No… I have… I **like**__Kori Anders, my girlfriend."_

_The terrified look did not leave his face._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"Everyone here are lovers," Raven looks around the lake packed with boating couples. She fidgets under the sun's heat, "I feel out of place…"

Strangely enough, I pay no mind to her comments and just keep on rowing our boat. It may seem corny, but the song "Kiss the Girl" keeps playing in my mind. It plays on dreamily until it's Richard's wretched voice I hear singing,

_Oh God… what's happening to me?_

I just suddenly have these unpleasant thoughts of Richard and my mind gets unfocused. I have never experienced anything like this before. Sure, I have always been a little annoyed with him… but to dislike him enough to act out of my character… Never! Wally West doesn't dislike anybody! Wally West doesn't snap, talk back, get into fights or spark arguments over an eye color… But why is Wally West doing that? Why am **I** doing that? Why does Richard have this effect on me?

_I'm not falling for Richard, am I?_

"Wally, are you sure you're alright? You're turning red."

Once again, I ignore her words and ask a question of my own accord, "Say, Raven… have you ever had… unpleasant thoughts of someone?"

"Unpleasant thoughts?" Raven repeats and thinks for a while, "Sometimes. I guess it's normal… But I tend to avoid thoughts like that, it makes me feel mean. I don't know…"

"I see," I nod like a child, "You know me, Raven, I don't bear grudges. But… do you think it's normal if I… dislike someone…" I anxiously anticipate for her answer.

"Of course. You're always going to meet people you don't like," she looks intrigued, "Why? Are you being bothered by someone?" she asks sincerely.

I twitch my left eye on purpose as I tilt my head, feeling unsure, "Yeah… I think…"

_Yeah… Richard, he's the one!_

"I'm listening…" Raven puts her hands on her knees and listens intently.

"Well…" I feel reluctant to start, but I do so anyway, "What if you like someone who likes someone else, but the other person treats the other person like shit… but the other person still loves the other person! And **she** doesn't notice your efforts at all. And you don't know why you're putting so much so much effort when you just _like _her… does it mean that you already **love** her? And… then you're all bitter with the other guy! You start to dislike him so much that you do things that even appalls yourself! And you think of him as much as you think of the girl. And-you-can't-help-but-feel-bitter-in-every-single-day-of-your-life!" I take a sharp intake of breath and continue, already oblivious to what I was saying, "And-you-hear-his-wretched-voice-singing-kiss-the-girl-and-"

"Wally!" She stops me from being hysterical; she grabs my fists out of my hair and puts them on my lap, "That's just jealousy…" she says calmly with a smile.

"It's just maybe a result of your frustrations for your unnoticed ef…" she suddenly pauses as her eyes shoot up wide, as if she were a deer in headlights; she slumps in her seat, "…forts…"

I watch her actions, terrified.

_Oh my God… Does she know? Does she know? **Does she know!**_

_Wally, you and your stupid big mouth… **YOU CAN'T LET HER KNOW YET!**_

"Uh…" I frantically look for an excuse to not look at her and search my bag's pockets as I feel _all _of my blood rush up to my cheeks. I grab a thin pocketbook in it, "Here!" I hand it to her in such a tense matter that I almost look robotic.

It takes her quite a while to take the book from my hand; I notice that her hand is trembling, "Thinking B-better… b-by Jerry Michinton?" she stutters as she freezes.

_Oh c'mon Wally… explain something._

'_Yeah Raven, I think that you might like it… I was supposed to give it to you later but then I had to let my stupid, stupid, **STUPID** mouth blabber and you had to realize something… And I am afraid of what you have to say… So instead of confrontations, we're having a little gift-giving… now let's pretend like nothing has happened!'_

_Wait… I can't say that… Wally, you're so stupid!_

… _This is all Richard's fault!_

_Damn… There I go again._

"Thank you," Raven says in the middle of my panic session. I take a peek when I feel her eyes upon me; I see that her eyes are still opened wide.

"Yeah." I grin, still unable to look at her.

"Yeah."

"Hehe…"

Silence.

"So…Uhhh… There's a mall here, right?" Raven suddenly asks, "Of course there's a mall here, what a stupid question…" she answers herself quickly, her voice uncharacteristically high-pitched.

I look at her, "Um… yeah."

_I hate myself right now… Damn you, Wally! Damn you!_

"Do… err… I have no dress… for the dance yet…" she sighs suddenly as she covers her face with her hands, "I figured that I'd buy it here…"

"Oh… alright, I'll come with you." I have never heard of a conversation as forced as this.

"Oh…"

Perpetual silence.

"Alright…" she finally closes her mouth after a long **painful** while. She, then, lets the most forced smile I have ever seen creep on her face, "What were we talking about again?"

Silence.

…

…

…

"Boats and lovers," I say after ten minutes. Y'know, after I mentally stabbed my mouth over and over and over and over and over again.

It also takes Raven ten minutes to reply, "Oh yeah."

**End Chapter

* * *

**

**Author's Ranty-rantiness: Now, Wally isn't all bright and sunny now, is he? MOOCHACHACHACHACHA!** I have no idea why I'm laughing, but it feels greeeaaaattt! By the way, I want more RobRae here! More RobRae in SaB!

**Thank you to the lovely EvilWhiteRaven for beta-ing the chapters… lovely beta she is.**

**And thank you so much to the equally lovely Lost in Nevermore for reading the fic and giving me feedbacks… I owe you so much.**

**Thank you my beloved reviewers!**

**IxLovexWallyxWest: **Hello! Ravest! Nice name for the pairing… Reminds me of Raveast… Hehe, please review again… and what happened to your other fics? Update them!

**Chica De Los Ojos Café: **:hides: Hello, well, this chapter isn't much of a surprise for you aight? Hehe… I'm about to write the first chapter of our fic; I just have to finish all of my friggin requirements… DAMN SENIOR YEAR! Oh! Thank you so much for the dedication in "I Wish"! Love yah mah man!

**lunafan: **Your hopes are answered! This will end as RaeFlash! I will have to be crazy for me to be able to write a RobRae ending… and I'm not always crazy… I can live a week without being crazy; I just have to stay away from coffee! But then… I need coffee so I can stay up late finishing my requirements… lol, err… I hope you liked the RaeFlash in this chapter.

**DITZY: **You are never online! This chapter was short:gulps: Well… the next chapter is shorter… hehe… I hope you liked this 'non-date' chapter, hehe! And sorry, I made him wear peach… :shakes heads:

**Tecna: **Awww… there's no fight, sorry… I hope you liked this chapter! And I hope that you also liked the preview of the next chapter, hehe! Please review again, hehe!

**sailormoonrobinravengirl: **:pokes: I hope the preview didn't really kill you… hehe. Here's your update! Thank you so much for reviewing!

**Violetx3: **VIOLET:HUGS: Oh, please do be five again, it's great! I'll be five with you! I hope you liked this chapter, the update is for you, hehe! BTW, you're an amazing author.

**Neilie:** Errr… There's no Roy in this chapter, please forgive me… Roy, a junkie? That's a nice idea, muahahahaha! Errr… I dunno if I'd do it though. About Donna and Linda, oooh… the other two of Wally's many loves. I'll think about it… :thinks:

**You'reJustJealousCozISoundLikeARockStar: **I can make Robin appear less of a jerk! Moohahaha! I just have to kill Wally! Wally will suddenly have some kind of disease! Moohahahaha! Garth gay? Oh yes…. I'm seeing it now. My sequel for SaB… SaG (Strange and Gay). _Garth is a man pining for an acquaintance Garfield… If this Garfield already has a girlfriend then who will he turn to? Maybe Roy Harper. _Wow! I have my summary!

**finalitylife: **I hope you liked Wally's P.O.V.. I really needed it to develop the character of the guy, hehe. Thanks for reviewing!

**Delirium24: **Here's an update! Thanks for reviewing! And also for kneeling; no one has ever kneeled before me… it makes me feel so happy. I hope you liked this chapter!

**Bjorkubus: **No prob on the comment. It deserved much needed praise, hehe. Thank you for reviewing! You know, I have never been aware of MARS until you mentioned it to me, and wow… they are kinda like Wally and Raven… I wanna read that manga! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! Thank you again for reviewing and I hope that you'd write more stories.

**Niol: **lol! Thank you for reviewing! This is what happens next… what happens next after this? I have no idea…

**HauntenWhisper714: **I certainly wanna make you happy! So here goes your update! I don't think that there's a lot of drama here… but it has Wally in a pin- I mean peach shirt! YAY WALLY IN PEACH SHIRT! Love problems? Tell me about it… I hate mine too.

**Miyuki-chan: **Yeah, Raven's character is like that… but I like it, hehe. Wally is there to help her of course! And then about Richard; I really have to write a chapter in his P.O.V. soon to make him a less hateful character, hehe. Thank you so much for reviewing Miyuki-chan! I really appreciate it!

**KFJinx+KFRaven: **Yo! Yup, I'm trying to make one… thank you for liking this chapter! And Jinx will be in chapter 11… I know, I know… spoiler… but what the heck.

**The Black Crow: **I hope that the chapter was a nice Wally/Raven for you! Hehehe. And there's no pink shirt, but I hope that you liked peach! Thank you so much for reviewing, I really appreciate it!

**lma: **Thank you for reviewing! No pink shirt… hehehe. Why not make it, "HOORAY FOR WALLY IN PEACH SHIRT!" ?

**Elven Dragon Rider: **Here's your update… Errr… I'm out of skittles… :is teary-eyed:

**Kodes: **Thank you for reviewing! And thank you for the wonderful compliment! AND ALSO, thank you so much for that wonderful suggestion, I'll think about it! Errr… any other wonderful suggestions? I kinda need them, hehe.

**Tears of a Demon: **Thank you so much! And yes, long live RaeWally! Errr… any feedbacks on this chappie? I hope you liked it!

**otakualways: **Hehehehe, thank you so much for reviewing! RaeWally is adorable!

**FiliaofMortis: **LOL! Your review is so adorable! I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter! WOOHOO! And about Richard… his chapter is coming up, errr, quite soon, hehe! Hey, we didn't have school until Tuesday last week too! What a coincidence! We had this Coconut Festival going on hehe… what's your school's excuse? Eh, I'm so nosy, hehe, forgive me!

**Teen Titans Obsessor: **Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews and also the wonderful PMs! You are so wonderful, thank you so much!

**Ayuru: **Aba oo! Pinoy ako! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay si PACMAN! Moohahahaha!

**Glil: **Thank you so much for reviewing! There are some stories here where Wally likes Raven! Like "Kisses and Sushi", "Post Tenebras Lux" and "Mi Vida Sin Tu Amor".

**Kosumi: **Yay! Thank you so much for reviewing and faving this! And another yay! Thanks you so much for having faith in Robin… HE WILL GET BETTER! Wally x Jinx? If you say so, hehe. I'd incorporate Jinx in this… though not in a romantic way, hehe. :writes a chapter: THERE! I incorporated her!

**pinkprincess: **Hi! Here's your update! I hope this chapter will invoke your feelings to rant again! Because seriously… I loved the rant… really.

**Hello! Thank you so much for the reviews! It has inspired me to write chapters (and even new stories!). Thank you.

* * *

**

_**Unbeta-d preview of Chapter 10**_

_**Chapter 10: Run**_

'_I'm not talking to Richard again.'_

_Kori._

_Oh God… no._

_This is what I have feared most._

_I have been, and still am, so frightened of people when they are upset… I am afraid of being the cause of it._

_I feel and want to run away…_

'_Raven, you're still my date for the dance this Saturday night, right?'_

_**Run.

* * *

**_

**Please give me feedbacks! Give me suggestions! Thank you!**


	11. Run

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

**Chapter 10: Run _:In Raven's P.O.V.:

* * *

_**

Oh my…

I just took the Azarath University entrance exam yesterday and I did not care one thing about it… and it's because all I thought about that time was Wally West.

Not only that; when I went home and tried to rest, my dreams were infested by a thousand Wally's.

Oh my fuc-

I can't believe this… after all this time; I have been treating Wally as how Richard has been treating me. Why? Why did I miss the clues? Why did I miss the hints? They were laying there so obviously; I could have noticed it before, but I was too busy lamenting on Richard's rejection of me.

I can never miss the irony in this.

A sudden pang of guilt shakes my whole body.

So… I am the cause of Wally's frustrations? It's quite hard to believe… Was I the reason why Wally fought Richard? Are his feelings the cause of his dramatic reactions towards Richard's actions? Were his snaps for me? Were the thoughtful acts of friendship hints of his want to pursue me? How long has he been doing this?

I am so clueless, it makes me dizzy.

How I wish I had known this earlier.

I also wish that I used the chance to confront and talk to him when we were on that boat two days ago. But no… I had to cower and pretend that I hadn't heard a thing… **God, what is wrong with me?** I even asked- we even- **I picked a dress with him!** It was clear at that time that we were lying to each other… I knew, and he knew that I knew.

…

Wally is the only person that I can be honest with… I don't want to lie to him… I don't want to start lying to him… I don't want to keep lying to hom.

_**Why do I have to mess everything up!**_

I mess-up everything that matters to me. I have ruined my friends' relationship with each other… I have put a stain on Richard and Kori's relationship. I have put Victor and Gar in such an awkward mess. I have ruined Richard's reputation along with Wally's… and now, I have unpleasantly stained my friendship with Wally.

Oh God… I can never face him again. I am ashamed; ashamed of my actions towards him, ashamed of the frustrations that I have caused him, ashamed of how I showed him nothing other than lamentations of Richard. I am ashamed that I have become so self-absorbed.

Oh Wally…sweet Wally, I'm so sorry.

He has been nothing but a sweetheart to me. He was there for me when I was starting to crumble down… even when we still weren't close, he was there. He's the first one to offer me understanding smiles that I have been deprived of… and he's also the one who has encouraged me to give the smiles that I have been depriving others of.

I have never realized how important he is to me; how significant he is in my life…

… I owe him so much.

… And that's why I can never face him again. I can't… I can't stomach my previous treatment of him; it would be so unfair to him if I keep on befriending him; it would also be awkward if I continue our companionship, all the while ignoring what he feels. It would be-

… I don't know.

All I understand is that I have done him wrong and I can't forgive myself.

…And I can't allow myself to embrace the comfort that is Wally… because I certainly don't deserve that.

_**Shit**._

Feeling more frustrated and dizzy; I lie down on my bed and sigh as I reach under my pillows. I grab a pocketbook from it.

"Thinking Better," I read to myself as I open and browse the book.

_This is probably the closest thing I have to Wally._

_**Oh God… stop thinking of Wally…**_

Grumbling; I read the 'table-of-contents' of the book, hoping that it'll take my mind off of my worries.

* * *

**:_Out of Raven's P.O.V.:_**

"Kori… NO!"

_**- - - click- - -**_

"Ugh… why does she have to be so stubborn?" Richard growls as he clutches his cellphone. He lets out another growl as he dials Kori's number again.

Richard swallows the lump in his throat as he hears the other line ring, "C'mon Kori… answer," he pleads, waiting anxiously for her to answer.

God, how he prays for a pleasant conversation.

His prayers aren't answered.

"RICHARD, I AM NOT TALKING TO YOU, SO STOP CALLING ME!" Kori's voice angrily booms from the other line. Strangely though; she hesitates to end the line.

Richard uses this opportunity to speak, "Kori… please, just PLEASE, listen to me!"

…

When he receives no answer, he just continues to speak, "Please, I don't know what's happening to us-"

"YOU KNOW THAT! THE WHOLE ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED TO YOU THE LAST TIME WE TALKED!" Kori snaps, cutting him off, "What is happening to us is that I cannot trust you anymore because you're keeping secrets from me."

"Kori-"

"And don't make any _'I don't know what you're talking about'_ excuse," Richard winces at this, "You are clearly hiding some of our friends' problems from me."

"Kori, they are not your problems and you don't need to be bothered by them," Richard sighs, "Why is it bothering you so much anyway? Is it enough for you to completely hate me?"

Silence.

"Kori?"

"Richard, I can never hate you." Kori finally answers softly, "And I don't know why it bothers me so much, and you guys – especially you- hiding something from me really hurts me… and I can sense that this is serious… I don't know… Richard, can you at least tell me why you're not telling me anything? Because the only conclusion that I can come up with is that it has something to do with me…"

"Kori-"Richard tries to interfere, but Kori doesn't let him.

"What else can I come up with? I am the only one that's left-out about this and there's no other reason for it other than because I am to blame," Kori sighs sadly, her voice cracking, "This makes me feel ill, and I'm so sick of it… Will you please tell me why you're not telling me anything, Richard?"

Silence. All she hears are the buzzes of the phone line.

…

"Richard-"

"Because I'm afraid… I don't know what of, but I'm scared as hell," this has been the most truthful thing he has told her in the past few days, "But understand, one of the _clearer_ reasons why I'm not telling you anything is because I don't want to hurt you…"

_Yes… they were all true… they were all **parts** of the truth._

Richard sweats as he anxiously wait for a reply. Hoping that his explanation will be enough for her; he continues to wait… but all he hears in return is a tired sigh.

"What is the point of it? You already are…" with that, Kori ends the line.

Silence.

"Dammit…" Richard whispers. Feeling tears rim around the corners of his eyes, "DAMMIT!" He shouts now as he throws his cellphone on the floor and gives it a kick, "Dammit…"

Victor watched the scene in pity… Victor has watched the whole scene in ptiy.

"Hey ,man…" Victor walks towards his friend and pats his back, "Calm down," he says sympathetically.

…_Richard just came to his senses._

'_Finally humbling down and realizing your mistakes,'_ Victor sighs as he thinks. He pats his back again.

After a couple of pats, Richard replies, "Thanks man…"

Attempting to lighten the situation, Victor pats his back again, "What? For these pasts? They're nothing…" he grins.

Victor smiles, pleased as Richard chuckles, "No… for still being my friend… after all this," he smiles sadly.

'_That's because I knew that you'll soon come to your senses,' _Victor thinks as his respect for Richard regain slowly. He smiles..

"As a friend, Rich… Let me ask you one more time. Why **don't** you want Kori to know?"

Silence.

"Because, Vic, I'm afraid that she might hate me," Richard answers, "I'm afraid that she might hate Raven… and that Raven might hate me for it."

Silence.

"…I can't believe I'm telling you all this crap," Richard sighs and smiles darkly.

Victor keeps quiet.

Victor **indeed** knows everything now.

* * *

_**:In Raven's P.O.V.:**_

'_Expand your understanding, Wally, enjoy good relationships, Wally, develop a balanced view, Wally, be kind to yourself, Wally, make wise choices, Wally… Wally, Wally, Wally, Wally, Wallace Rudolph West.'_

"AAH!" I let out a frustrated scream as I throw the book across my room.

"Damn," I growl as I rub my forehead. Not only does that book make me relentlessly think of Wally, it also makes my head throb madly… as if it's saying something to me.

… I ignore it though.

I groan, burying my face under my pillows as I suddenly feels sick. I have read the book to take my thoughts off of Wally… not to infest my mind with a thousand pictures of him.

"God, Raven… can't you just clear your mind… just for a fucking second?" I seldom say profane words, but with my frustrations, it comes out naturally.

"Oh God," I moan and sob as the ill feelings start to overwhelm me.

…

I blame my wretched feelings for Richard.

…

Imagine it if my feelings for him didn't exist.

… Then I can let myself fall for Wally. It wouldn't be hard; I already adore him. Then we'd go out, get married, have sex, have kids, and live happily ever after.

Haha.

…

Well…I guess, there would also be less problems… my nightmare of upsetting everyone will end. I will be able to please everyone; I will be able to please Wally… the nagging in my head will stop and I will be happy. Happy because my friends will get what they want and will not have to deal with the chaos my feelings have caused. I will be happy because I will stop blaming myself for not giving what people want… what they want to happen.

The damage that I have done will be erased.

…

But no… my wretched feelings exist… have existed and the damage has been made.

Richard hates me… the boy that I have been devoted to blames me for making his life confusing. I have made him unhappy. Now, Kori is not playing oblivious anymore… she will demand an explanation soon; she already has… if she gets what she wants, she'll feel betrayed… hurt… by me. She will hate me for it… the girl that used to call me her 'bestfriend' will be filled with scorn.

… Then their relationship will fall apart. Everyone's relationship will fall apart.

…

This is so unfair.

I have put up with my misery to keep everyone's life stable and unbothered… why is it bothering people so much now? First was Richard… then Victor and Gar… then Kori. And now, Wally… who's next? Wally's friends? What have I done? What am I doing? I don't know… Am I cursed to be miserable? Am I laso hexed to make everyone's life miserable? Again, I don't know…

Why are all these problems piling up?

Look at me; I'm not blaming my feelings anymore… I'm blaming myself.

I never realized how much has happened, how ill things has gotten… how I am so affected with all these highschool drama that no one cares about…

Ha.

I guess the realizations were triggered by Wally.

Wally…

…Wally.

Wally.

What do I want to do now? What will I do now?

I don't know, my head is too worked-out with all of _these dramatic issues._

……

…..

….

…

**--BEEP!--**

**--BEEP!--**

I turn and look at the cellphone in front of me. Grateful for the two messages that I have received. Whatever message they bring; it will take my mind off to somewhere… somewhere away from my place.

I read the messages.

…

…And they do the opposite of what I have expected.

'_I'm not talking to Richard again.'_

Kori.

Oh God… no.

This is what I have feared most.

I have been, and still am, so frightened of people when they are upset… I am afraid of being the cause of it.

I feel and want to run away…

'_Raven, you're still my date for the dance this Saturday night, right?'_

_**Run.**_

**End Chapter

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**

**Author's cousin's note: **Errr... Hello. I'm just doing this for a favor. My cousin couldn't update for a while because she had typhoid and was confined in a hospital. Well... she got better, but she caught another cold or virus and is back in the hospital. She just left me some instruction in updating this. Well... her intructions weren't that clear, so if there's a mistake that I made, just inform her when she gets better.

I am going to attach a text or some reply thingies that my cousin wrote. Again, if I made a mistake, just inform her.

Here's the message from my cousin:

**Author's Note:** I LIIIVEEE! AGAIN! Hehe, I'm so sorry for updating quite… late. I hope that this fic still takes your interest. The reason that I kinda… died… is because I had typhoid and had to be confined in the hospital for quite a time… plus, my computer crashed. Anyway… I hope that you all liked this chapter, despite Raven's… weirdness. But notice how she's not that fond of Richard anymore… I only see frustration there. Moochachacha! Oh RaeRob, here I come.

**EvilWhiteRaven is still ever-so-wonderful!**

**Thank you my readers!**

**Chica De Los Ojos Café: **Thanks for reviewing! I missed ya! How are you? I hope you liked this chappie! I hope that I can talk to you soon, I wanna ask something about Mi Vida Sin Tu Amor.

**lunafan: **Hello! Yes indeed! Victor knows everything! Victor knows more than the author… because, I have no idea what to do now! I hope you liked this chapter!

**Tecna: **TECNA:hugs: I updated! I hope you liked this chappie! I'll update again soon!

**Teen Titans Obsessor: **Thank you so much for your reviews and your PM's! I appreciate them so much! I hope you liked this chapter despite Raven's behavior, hehe. I'll update soon!

**sailormoonrobinravengirl: **Errr… I updated! Are you alright? I hope that you liked this chapter, hehe. Thank you so much for reviewing! Oh yeah, I hope that you'll like the preview below.

**Violetx3: **I'm so sorry for making you wait :cries: . This chapter is for you, hehe! I hope you liked it. I'll upload more chapters soon, don't worry.

**AlyRaven: **:waits for you to update:

**EvilWhiteRaven: **Hello my lovely beta-reader! I actually want to make Raven and Wally's relationship pace forward a bit… but it doesn't seem to fit Raven's character to just welcome Wally's affections with open arms… so WALA! I have this chapter, hehe. Poor Wally. And yes, I'm putting more RobRae because I want more highschool drama, lol.

**Elven Dragon Rider: **Hello! I hope you liked this chapter… well, I hope you read the chapter, hehe… :runs and searches for a not so secret hole in a not so secret tree: I'm not updating till I find your reainbowy delights!

**Glil: **Hi! Although there's not a lot of RaeWally interaction here… at we all get to know that Raven has affections for Wally too, right? I hope you liked this chapter.

**WindJackal: **Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you liked this chapter! Actually, Wally doesn't need to tell her anymore, it's already obvious… as for Raven, it's obvious too that she's fond of him, right? I know, I unknowingly made Richard into such a jerk… but I'm working on his character, hehe.

**Niol: **Thanks for reviewing! And yes, RaeFlash is indeed an awesome alternate for RaeRob! I will update soon!

**pinkprincess: **Hello! Your reviews make me feel so happy! I'm so glad that someone likes this fic very much! Thank you! I hope this chapter satisfied your needs! I know there's no Wally action here, but there will be in the next chapter:grins:

**otakualways: **Hello! Awkward indeed… I wonder how they managed to still go to the mall together… hmmm… I should do a flashback on that… anyway, thank you for reviewing!

**Ditzy: **Yo! No Wally in pink shirt is disappointing, I know… and yes, there's no Wally action here. How I must disappoint you so. I'm sorry. Hehe, but I still hope that you liked this chapter. Thank you for reviewing!

**HauntedWhisper714: **Thank you so much for reviewing! Yes, almost all of the characters here have weird issues that you can't just help but to pity them… lol. I hope you liked this chapter! I will update again soon!

**You'reJustJealousCozISoundLikeARockstar: **Yo! I didn't want to feel your wrath; that's the reason why I updated. LOL! I will kill Wally:looks at you knife: actually… I won't; I can't kill him. If Garth doesn't get Garfield and Roy, then who will he get? HotSpot:pause: ooooh… :snickers:. So what now? Are you Roy's stalker or are you his bitchlovah?

**Delirium24: **Thanks for the review! I hope you liked this chapter… eventhough I myself found it to be boring, hehe.

**FiliaofMortis: **Yo! Hello! Oh man, I love your reviews, hehe. You must've found Raven's reactions saddening… but it fits her character, hehe. Hope you liked this chapter! Coconut festival is a festival where people dance in the streets wearing costumes made from coconut… there are also free food, alcohol or whatever drinks… oh yeah, free pie! PIE! Richard's mind… you will soon see in chapter 14! MOOCHACHACHA! And what made Raven go doe-eyed… I don't remember. Oh man, sugar! I love the sugary sweetness of sugar… I must have some… it might inspire me to write.

**bb-and-raven-rock: **Thank you so much! You review makes me so happy; I'm glad that you like this story despite the pairing! I will update really soon! Thank you so much!

**Miyuki-chan: **AHMAHGAH! LOL, I love that expression… I can't get over it. It reminds me of Foxxy Love from Drawn Together. I hope that you liked this chapter… eventhough Raven was thinking too much. Hehe, I actually like her thought-pattern here, it shows her character. Anyway. Thank you for reviewing!

**Meria: **Yay! Another SaB Wally fan! I can't decide whether Wally really wore pink or peach on their date… hehe. Raven sees it as pink and he sees it as peach. But Raven has more knowledge about colors as she is an artist here… so pink it is. What the… I'm rambling. Why do you hate Jinx? I hope you wouldn't mind me asking, hehe.

**kosumi: **Yes… Richard is a little twisted man. But you can't blame him, he just got the wrong perceptions in his observations. There will be more Wally-ness in the next chapter, I promise!

**KFJinx+KFRaven: **Your review flatters me, thank you very much. I'm glad that you also like RaeWally. Errr… there are tons of KFJinx for you to read, I suggest "Those Darn DoGooders" by… man… I forgot… but it's an amazing KFJinx, you should read it. Thank you for reviewing!

**Platina: **I love this pairing too! Let's be pairing-lover buddies! What the- I'm so sorry, I don't know why I typed that, hehe. Well, I guess it's obvious in this chapter that she's very fond of Wally, right?

**lma: **Poor Wally, I know. But he'll get what he deserves soon, hehe. Thank you so much for reviewing!

**TreeMan: **Oh my God! I'M SO SORRY! How could I forget your amazing reviews! I'm so sorry, it's just that I've been replying to the reviews in the latest chapter… I forgot that you reviewed my previous chapters… I'm so sorry, I love your reviews very much, I feel grateful for it. Anyway, Raven isn't really rejecting him… I'm not making it appear like that, am I?

**Neilie: **Thank you for reviewing! I've got a question for you… who should I pair Roy with? Cheshire, maybe? I have no idea. Hey! Who said that I wanted RobRae? I haven't built the RaeWally relationship for nothing, hehe. I'm still thinking whether I should put Linda or Donna… thank you for that suggestion, by the way, hehe!

**Thank you for reviewing everyone! Please review again if you can!

* * *

**

_**Unbeta-d preview of Chapter 11

* * *

**_

_**Chapter 11: Balisong

* * *

**_

…_Could she only love or like him as a friend?_

… _He'd deal with it._

_But he would still hope…_

_Wally stretched, feeling tired from all the thinking. Standing up, he peered at their window and stared directly at the manor in front of him… the Roth manor._

_He wished to see Raven… even just a shadow of the girl would be fine._

_Yes… what a sad, sad disposition he was in._

_His mother noticed this._

"_Baby, if you want to see her so bad, go talk to her," Mrs. West said from behind her son.

* * *

_

**Comments? Suggestions? Errr… anyone?**


	12. Balisong

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything…

* * *

**Summary: **_I miss one big thing about him… he is dancing with her… he is in love with her. _Raven finds it very difficult to handle her feelings for her long-time friend Richard. Who would help her? Raven x Flash, some RobStar and eventually RobRaeFlash .

* * *

_**Balisong (by Rivermaya)**_

_You mesmerize me with diamond eyes_

_I try to fool myself to think I'll be alright_

_But I am losing all control_

_My mind, my heart, my body and my soul_

_To speak or not to, where to begin_

_The great dilemmas I'm finding myself in_

_For all I know you only see me as a friend_

_I try to tell myself 'wake up fool.'_

' _This fairy tale's got to end'_

_Never in my life have I been more sure_

_So come on up to me and close the door_

_Nobody's made me feel this way before_

_You're everything I wanted and… more.

* * *

_

**Chapter 11: Balisong _:In Wally's P.O.V.:

* * *

_**

………

……

…

"You guys sure are quiet," Ms. Guidance Counselor person says lightly after a ten-minute staring session… but her comment doesn't stop me from continuing the said session.

… I don't feel like speaking.

"Anyone here who wants to tell a story?" She looks at me and Richard as she coaxes. It doesn't work on any of us.

… I don't feel like speaking.

"Any stories, Wally?" She turns to me gently. I just shake my head 'no' as I sigh.

I don't feel like speaking.

Silence.

"You know, you guys are acting funny… yes, since Monday. What's wrong?" She keeps on asking… her tone almost bordering desperation. I don't see the point of it. Richard and I aren't doing or causing any trouble anymore… why is she still calling us to her office? Why can't she just let us go?

… I just want to go home. I feel so uncomfortable.

… I have been feeling uncomfortable since last week.

I don't know what's the matter with Richard though; he usually has a lot of twisted stories to tell… but he's been clamming up since last week too.

… not that I care about him.

…

"So how's Raven?" I turn to the counselor as she uses a different strategy to get us talking.

I stare at nothing. The sound of _her_ name is enough to tie my stomach into tight tangled knots. I can't bear the feeling…

I don't answer.

So the lady continues, "She isn't attending any of her classes, and I was just wondering," she desperately tries.

I decide to answer her when I feel Richard's curious gaze on me, "It's not like we still have to anyway… we're already graduating…" it comes out only as a murmur but it relieves the counselor out of tension.

It doesn't do the same to Richard, though.

"So you don't know what's happening to her… that's quite a surprise," he says it in a slightly bitter tone… I don't know what he means by that comment but his voice is enough to make my ears go red.

"What, like you know what's happening to her," I spat, feeling hostile for no reason, "You don't even care."

His eyebrows raise at my comment, "You're not going to start an argument about that again, are you?" the words embarrass me to silence.

Silence.

"… I do care about her," he continues and waits for me to reply.

I do what he wants me to do, but, for no reason; I keep the hostility of my voice, "You sure don't act like you do," the counselor in front of us is now listening intently as if we're some kind of dramatic soap opera.

Heh. I wonder why she doesn't get used to my conversations with Richard.

Whatever… dramatic soap opera or not; Richard's answer is dramatic enough to be in one, "Wally," he calls me by my first name and my ears perk… _There **is** a first time for everything._ "I _care_ for Raven… but you can't just let me put her in the center of my life," I see his efforts in keeping a civil conversation.

I restrain my annoyance because of it, "I'm not asking you that," _she's already the center of mine; there's no need for you to put her in yours, _"All I'm asking is for you to stop being so selfish and so… jerk…y" I say the sentence directly even with its poor construction.

He seems to let my words sink in, "I have problems of my own… I can't comprehend on the things you tell me, I have to deal with my own demons, I-"

"The tell us what your problems are, Richard. We might be able to help," I feel thankful for the counselor for asking that as I want to ask him the same thing. Of course I wouldn't offer him help, but I'm still curious.

"Maybe if you get to solve your personal problems, it'll give you a headstart on solving your problems concerning others," I look at Richard as the lady continues.

Silence.

Richard sighs before he replies, "It's hard… my mind is topsy-turvied… I can't-"

"Then organize your thoughts," I cut him off, not wanting more drama from him.

_And for a minute there; I thought he was clamming up…_

He glares at me, "It is hard to determine and clarify thoughts, just to let you know."

I keep quiet for a while to lament on his answer. It's a lie.

"You're wrong, Richard," his reaction says that hearing his first name from my lips is alien to him, "It's not hard. You just have to start… and once you do, just accept the harsh reality of the truth."

Silence; my words seems to shock them.

I sigh as I feel the tension again… and Ms. Guidance Counselor isn't helping one bit in subsiding them.

_Hell, first we weren't talking, then all of the sudden we're having a dramatic conversation._

… _and now we're not talking again._

I already feel uncomfortable; I don't need this.

"Excuse me now," I say as I stand up, "I have to go… I still need to find a dance partner for tomorrow…" I sigh as I make my way to the door.

Richard's sudden voice stops me, "Wait… I thought you were going with Raven?" There is an obvious curiosity in his voice.

_Raven._

There go the knots in my stomach again.

I just shrug, "I don't know…"

* * *

_**Flashback**_

'_Raven, you're still my date for the dance this Saturday, right?'_

_Wally had sent the message to Raven Roth last Sunday at 4:15 in the afternoon._

_It was already Wednesday at five o'clock in the afternoon and still no reply from the said girl._

_Not only that; Raven Roth wasn't also attending her classes, nor was she going out of her house… she didn't communicate with anyone else other than Terra, Garfield's girlfriend. He, along with Victor and Gar, had asked Terra a million times what Raven was telling her, but she kept on answering the same thing: That Raven was just asking to submit some of her requirements in school._

_It broke the redhead's heart._

_Over the months of being with Raven; he had been more satisfied with his life. Raven paid 'real' attention to him. She never acted as if he annoyed her. She made him see that he wasn't plain Wally who lacked the complexity of a human being… he was Wally; living, thinking, feeling, brooding, loving… he was deeper… more colorful._

_He ached for Raven because of it._

_What made his aching worse was the knowledge why Raven was avoiding social contact._

… _The reason was him. Wally West._

_He blamed himself for blabbering… for opening his stupid mouth. Everything was going on well. Raven was fond of him, he had her as a date for the 'Mid-Spring' dance and everyone was alright about it. But then he opened his goddamned mouth and ruined everything._

_He didn't want to make Raven feel bad; he didn't want to make their relationship awkward._

… _He wished that he knew what was going on inside Raven's head… then he would be able to help her clear it… just to make her talk to him again. What were her issues? Was she blaming herself for whatever reason? He would take the blame. Was she feeling disloyal to Richard? He'd comfort her. Did she suddenly find him icky? He'd find a way to resolve that._

…_Could she only love or like him as a friend?_

… _He'd deal with it._

_But he would still hope…_

_Wally stretched, feeling tired from all the thinking. Standing up, he peered at their window and stared directly at the manor in front of him… the Roth manor._

_He wished to see Raven… even just a shadow of the girl would be fine._

_Yes… what a sad, sad disposition he was in._

_His mother noticed this._

"_Baby, if you want to see her so bad, go talk to her," Mrs. West said from behind her son._

_Wally paid no attention to what his mother said, but he cringed, "Mom, don't call me baby!" He whined all the while gazing through their window._

_Mrs. West smiled gently, "You know, Arella Roth often notices you watching their house."_

_As if in his 'selective hearing' mode; Wally listened to his mother that time, "Really? Does she say anything about Raven?" His eyes widened._

_His mother shook her head, "No, but if you want to know what's happening to her so bad, go and visit her," she said, but her son was too busy staring at the Roth manor to listen._

_Sighing, she turned and left._

"_Teenage love angst these days…"_

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

Jinx.

Jinx, short for Jasmine Onyx.

Yeah, we used to date… for about two months or so, I guess.

She's pretty… and quite unusual; who would miss that pink-dyed hair? Heh, that's what caught my attention. She's also talented; she's a ballerina… I guess attractive and artistically talented girls are my type, heh.

Yeah, I asked her out when we were freshmen… surprisingly, she accepted my offer and we did go out. Eh… she was nice, graceful and exotic… she was wonderful until she started having these 'I-hate-you' moods whenever I was around. She seemed to be really annoyed with me after a month of going out… it was like she wanted to claw me to death whenever I was near.

Well… she did almost claw me to death when we broke up… that was after I dropped her friggin' ballerina shoes on the muddy school grounds.

Anyway… why am I suddenly reminiscing events about her?

Because I'm asking her to the dance.

Why?

Because no one else wants to go with me… Raven isn't replying to any of my messages… and I just really want to go to the dance.

…

Actually, no…

My subconscious keeps on telling me that if I go with someone else to the dance; Raven will get jealous which will lead her to the discovery of her love for me… then we'll go out and live happily ever after.

I know… it's stupid, but I'm desperate here.

"What are you looking at?" Jinx catches me watching her and she crosses her arms as she looks at me cattily.

_Woah…I still annoy her._

I grin innocently, "Yo!"

Cold pause.

My grin starts to falter at her behavior, "Just came by to ask you… uuhhh… do you have a date for the 'Mid-Spring' dance?"

She looks at me, "No."

_Man, I hate conversations like this._

I still try to smile as I fake a surprised look, "Really? Oh man! What a coincidence! I don't have a date too… wanna-go-together?" I end my mediocre acting quickly… you know, to avoid humiliation.

My attempt to avoid it is unsuccessful.

"Never!" She snorts heartily as she rejects me, "Never!" She repeats.

This annoys me.

"Tch. Fine," I pout and scratch my head as I turn to leave… but then she asks a question.

"Whatever happened between you and Raven?" her curiosity is genuine, "I thought that you guys were going together… erm… I heard." She puts her hands on her hips as she waits for an answer.

I blink, "Raven? Oh… err… I don't kno-"

She suddenly snorts at my lame answer, "What did you do this time?" She seems to see right through me… it's offending.

I frown, "What do you mean by that!" I feel our conversation grow hostile.

"Well," she starts, smirking, "You have the tendency to deliberately annoy girls without knowing…"

Silence.

"Oh, and Raven isn't attending her classes; I observed… oooh, you must've annoyed her big time," she taunts… teases while unknowingly hitting a sore spot.

I pout, "I didn't annoy her! Raven likes me very much!" I defend myself, "And… I really like Raven and I can't do anything that will upset her in such a wa-"

"Then why are you asking me instead of her to the dance?" She grins as she makes a point… as she feels her victory, "You said something and now she's not talking to you, am I right?" She smiles knowingly.

Silence.

_She's right…_

_I have always hated it when she's right._

_Man… relationship déjà vu._

Silence.

No use of lying to her now…

"I just want her to talk to me," I give in, "I figured that if she gets jealous… she might realize that she lovesme…" I feel embarrassed as I reveal my real intentions.

Jinx snorts at this, "Cute," she says it sarcastically, but her frame softens at my words.

Silence.

"So will you go with me, then?" I ask again… I actually don't know why.

Jinx laughs, "No, you lame asshole! But wait…" she says and turns to walk to a bag lying just beside us; I figure that it's hers. She pulls a small book from it before she goes back to me.

"Here," she hands me the book.

"The Bacchae?" I read the title, "So, is this the answer to my problems? Should I-"

"Idiotic asshole," she lightly slaps me, "Raven's borrowing that book from me. Give her that… tell her I sent you."

Silence. I stare at the book happily.

I grin.

"Thanks Jasmine Onyx! You're the best!"

She gives me the nicest smile that she has ever given me. _Creepy_.

… But all is good.

**End Chapter

* * *

**

**Author's Note: **Oh my… I have made a big mistake… so big that I believe it has offended my beta-reader. Oh, I never meant to mess the last chapter up. I have e-mailed you about the mistake, but you still seem offended. If ever that the mistake has offended you deliberately, **_I am so sorry._** I pray to God that you would be able to understand.

Err… yes. This chapter is unbeta-d… so was the last chapter… err, it's just some mistake that I made by not explaining things to my cousin… err…

Err… there is a chance that I might take this fic down if this story doesn't go well from here.

On the happier side of life… hey, you see how deep Wally's affection for Raven is now. And the song **Balisong **is by **Rivermaya**. Great group, different from most of the bands today… I mean, most of them just shout and scream.

Oh yeah, Jasmine Onyx is Jinx's real name in a number of fanfics by **Tabris MacBeth**... her RavenJinx fics rock my world, you should read it.

**To my wonderful reviewers:**

**Chica De Los Ojos Café: **Thank you for wishing me well, you are so sweet. I will be working on our fic as soon as possible, hehe. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. More RaeWally will be coming up, just for you.

**AlyRaven: **LOL! I'm not rushing you… err… but please do update soon, hehe. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. BTW, have you already added me into your AIM list?

**Elven Dragon Rider: **Hello! I must tell you; I received no rainbow-y goodness in my mail… :cries: how cruel… hehe, I hope that you liked this chapter!

**they are ghouls: **Thank you so much for the compliment; I feel so happy. And no need to feel sorry for me; I'm already healthy! Although I lost 6 pounds… errr… YAY!

**Tecna: **TECNA! YAY! I hope that you liked this chapter as well… I found it quite nice to make Wally's affections more mature and errr… yeah. Hey, when are you updating your fics?

**lunafan: **I feel awesome, thank you for wishing me well! I hope you liked this Wally-chapter, hehe. Yes… I am also aching for some RaeWally reading… but since I can't find any… I decided to write my own and just continue this story.

**Teen Titans Obsessor: **Thank you so much for another great review! To tell you the truth; I didn't really like the last chapter, but I'm glad that you liked it, hehe.

**otakualways: **LOL! Thank you for reviewing! I'll try to incorporate more highschool drama here, if this story still goes well.

**Neilie: **I have read your Vday special KFJinx fic, great writing! Have I reviewed that story? If not, please remind me to do so. Thank you for the suggestion… I like Jade Nguyen, so I might add her if I'm continuing this story. Hmmm… Linda; I don't really have any idea on what Linda is like, that's why I'm hesitant about using her.

**Violetx3: **Hi! Your PM really got me desperate to update this story… that's why I pestered my cousin into doing it, hehe. I'm better now, so I'm seeing how this story goes. About Richard flinging himself out a window… I'll think about it… it might be a good source of more drama, hehe. I hope you enjoyed Wally's thoughts.

**You'reJustJealousCozISoundLikeARockstar: **Update soon or else… I'll write a GarthRoy lemon. Will Roy be your bitchlover or will he be Jade Nguyen's… hmmm… let's make America decide! VOTE NOW! Errr… I don't know where the hell that came from. Hey, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**HauntedWhisper714: **LOL! Your review is so cute, hehe. I hope you enjoyed the Wally-ness of this chapter! Hey, what do you think of Wally and Richard now? I believe that they would make a nice odd-couple… don't you think so? Err…

**Kill-All-Flamers: **Hello! Thank you so much for reviewing! Yay! Another RaeWally fan:celebrates: I hope you enjoyed this chapter of highschool drama, hehe. As for Garfield being ignored; I just intended him to be quite oblivious for a reason. Hehe.

**FiliaofMortis: **:hugs Filia: You're so sweet! I felt a LOT better when I read your review… thank you so much:hugs Filia again: As for the story; I'm still checking on how it goes, hehe. But I find myself more pleased with how I write Wally's relationship with Raven… as well as Richard's affections for… people, hehe. Again, thank you so much for the wonderful review :kisses Filia's injured wrist:

**Niol: **Woah! Thanks man! Hey, what happened to your other fics? Why aren't you updating them?

**dragonqueen320: **Woah, thank you so much for reviewing… and to answer your numerous questions; you just have to wait and see, hehe.

**Delirium24: **Thank you! I hope that you liked this one too!

**Mad Mauser: **Hello! I'm glad that you're back! Yes! I would love to hear BBRae plots from you! I love Gar/Rae in the comics, hehe… so I might write one based on the comics as I'm not a fan of the animated BBRae-ness. Hehe.

**Asinine11: **Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate it! And thank you for wishing me well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, hehe.

**DITZY: **OOBER SWISH! Hehe, I'm starting to like that word too! Here's an update! I hope that you liked it! Errr… despite the suckiness of my grammar here… errr…. I kinda liked Wally's emotions.

**kosumi: **Thank you for wishing me well and also for assuring that you still read this fanfic! Here is an update with enough Wally-ness to please you! I want to know what you think of him now, hehe! As for the triangle… if the story still goes well, then the triangle is coming up soon.

**Maria: **Is that your real name? I like it… I like the name Maria, hehe. I hope you liked the KFJinx interaction here… I believe that they'd make a cute couple… Oh yeah, I believe that you'd also like **Neilie's **KFJinx fic… it's really good.

**pinkprincess: **I'm all better now! Thank you for another wonderful review, hehe. Here's a chapter with more Wally in it, I hope that you enjoyed it.

**TreeMan: **Thank you so much for reviewing! You gave such a wonderful explanation concerning Raven's feelings, hehe. I couldn't have explained it more clearly… again, thank you for reviewing!

**Platina: **Here's more Wally-ness! I do hope that you enjoyed it! I'm working on the RaeWally scenes, don't worry! Thank you for reviewing!

**Ana: **Wow, what an awesome review, thank you so much! Does that mean that you also like RaeWally now? I am so flattered that my fic has helped you consider other pairings… thank you so much! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter!

* * *

_**Ubeta-d preview of Chapter 12

* * *

**_

"_Do you want me to do all your requirements? Wash you clothes? Cook your meals?" She continues, "Do you want my slavery? My devotion? Anything…" she finishes as she bows her head… again._

_She starts to pull her hand away, but I tighten my grip on them. My instincts lead me to embrace her… to press her body against mine._

_I comprehend on the random things that she has said…

* * *

_

**Please read and review!**


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